PROVIDENCE – BRANDON King has put Guyana Amazon Warriors into the finals of the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with an unbeaten century in the first qualifier against the Barbados Tridents at Providence in Guyana on Sunday.
Winning the toss in the second game of the doubleheader, the Warriors got off to a firecracker start with King and Chandrapaul Hemraj putting on 73 for the first wicket. Hemraj was out for 27 from 23 in the tenth over.
There was not stopping King who went on to score 132 off 72 balls with ten fours and 11 sixes. He now has the highest individual score in the CPL.
The Warriors ended on 218/3 with skipper Shoaib Malik scoring 32 before he was bowled by Hayden Walsh Jr.
At their turn at the crease, Tridents put up a brave fight but 218 was always a difficult ask especially playing against a sold out partisan crowd.
Jonathan Carter top scored with 49 from 26 with five fours and three sixes.
Alex Hales got to 36 before he was bowled by Imran Tahir and captain Jason Holder was caught and bowled by Romario Shepherd for 29 that included three sixes.
But in the end, the target proved too much as the Tridents fell short by 30 runs.
Player of the match was in no doubt as Brandon King said after the match that he was very happy with his knock.
He said, “I’ve been trying to find a way to score runs in Guyana throughout the tournament and I’m just really happy that it came in such an important game and I’m grateful.
“I just try to score runs every time I go out there. Consistency is key.”
Tridents captain Holder gave credit to King’s innings.
He said: “I thought he played an outstanding innings. Even the balls he mishit still went for six. It was just his day. I think we were outplayed by him. It was an outstanding knock.”
And Warriors captain Shoaib Malik said, “From the first six batters I think if we look at all the games, one was scoring 50-plus runs. That was one of the keys and the second element was our spinners.
“We started almost every game with spinners and they continuously are taking wickets. These two are the key points being so successful so far in the tournament.”
The action now moves to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad where on Saturday at 5 p.m. local time, the Warriors will play the winner of the second qualifier – Tridents versus Trinbago Knight Riders.
The Warriors remain unbeaten in the tournament.
The second qualifier takes place on Thursday.
