GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Saim Ayub struck an impressive third straight half-century as Guyana Amazon Warriors brushed aside Jamaica Tallawahs by seven wickets in their first home game here Wednesday night, to extend their unbeaten run in the Caribbean Premier League.
Saim Ayub hits out during his half-century for Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy CPLT20/Getty Images)In pursuit of 153 at the Guyana National Stadium, Amazon Warriors overhauled their target with nine balls to spare, to notch their sixth win in seven matches and return to the top of the standings alongside Trinbago Knight Riders on 13 points.
Their win was inspired by Saim, the 21-year-old Pakistani top-scoring with 85 from 53 deliveries, a knock which put him within reach of 300 runs for the campaign at 288.
Twenty-year-old Matthew Nandu, in his first game of the season, chipped in with 37, in a 112-run opening stand with Saim, which erased any doubt over the result.
Sent in earlier, Tallawahs produced another underwhelming batting effort and were restricted to 152 for five from their 20 overs, despite captain Brandon King’s 52 off 32 deliveries.
Fabian Allen (21 not out) and Raymon Reifer (20 not out) carved out small knocks towards the end but the total fell short of a competitive one, as fast bowler Dwaine Pretorius led with two for 33 for the hosts.
English opener Alex Hales failed for the third straight innings when he played on to fast bowler Romario Shepherd for nine in the fourth over with 23 runs on the board.
However, King lashed his third half-century of the campaign to lead a revival, striking ten fours and a six in posting exactly 50 for the second wicket with Kirk McKenzie (13), before both fell in successive overs.
The innings then meandered before Reifer and Allen put on 41 in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership, to rally the back end.
Saim then put Tallawahs on the back foot from early, belting five fours and five sixes to race to his fifty off 34 balls at the start of the 11th over, as he and Nandu dominated.
The left-handed Nandu, who faced 35 deliveries and struck four fours, perished in the 13th over when he was bowled by off-spinner Chris Green but Saim combined with Shai Hope (16 not out) in a 29-run, second wicket partnership to keep the run chase steady.
