Tahir turns back the clock, Sampson explodes as Warriors seize top spot
Key Points(5)
- At 47, Imran Tahir is still capable of producing moments that defy time.
- The veteran South African delivered one of the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ most destructive spells of the season at Providence Wednesday night, ripping through the St Lucia Kings with 5-17 before an extraordinary late assault from Quinten Sampson completed a four-wicket victory.
- The result lifted the Warriors to the top of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) standings, but they were forced to survive a remarkable twist after appearing to have the match firmly under control.
- Tahir, working in tandem with CPL debutant Mehidy Hasan Miraz, reduced the Kings to 117 all out in 18.5 overs on a surface offering encouragement to spin.
- Miraz claimed 3-13, while Tahir’s five-wicket haul became the second-best of the tournament this season, behind Jeremiah Louis’ 5-10 and ahead of Matthew Forde’s 5-23.
At 47, Imran Tahir is still capable of producing moments that defy time.
The veteran South African delivered one of the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ most destructive spells of the season at Providence Wednesday night, ripping through the St Lucia Kings with 5-17 before an extraordinary late assault from Quinten Sampson completed a four-wicket victory.
The result lifted the Warriors to the top of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) standings, but they were forced to survive a remarkable twist after appearing to have the match firmly under control.
Tahir, working in tandem with CPL debutant Mehidy Hasan Miraz, reduced the Kings to 117 all out in 18.5 overs on a surface offering encouragement to spin.
Miraz claimed 3-13, while Tahir’s five-wicket haul became the second-best of the tournament this season, behind Jeremiah Louis’ 5-10 and ahead of Matthew Forde’s 5-23.
Kings collapse after promising start
St Lucia appeared well placed after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Dwaine Pretorius removed Tim Seifert for four with the score on 14, but Kamil Pooran and John Campbell rebuilt the innings, taking the Kings to 50 in just 5.5 overs.
Miraz broke that partnership when Campbell fell for 12 at 54-2 in the seventh over.
Pooran briefly threatened to carry the innings forward. He struck six fours and two sixes in a 35-ball 43, but Tahir trapped him lbw at 60-3, opening the door to a collapse that rapidly became catastrophic.
Tahir removed Roston Chase for one, while Miraz then trapped Guyanese left-hander Kemol Savory for two to leave the Kings 69-5.
Charith Asalanka followed for eight, edging Miraz to wicketkeeper Shai Hope, and St Lucia had slumped to 72-6.
Tahir then took complete control.
He dismissed McKenny Clarke and Forde without scoring, with both wickets arriving at 73. Forde misread a googly and was bowled, before Tahir produced another deceptive delivery to trap Joshua Bishop lbw for five.
The veteran spinner celebrated his fifth wicket in familiar fashion, arms outstretched as he raced toward the supporters, who reveled in a performance that had transformed the night after the Warriors’ first defeat of the season in their seventh game the previous day.
It was Tahir’s second five-wicket haul in CPL cricket.
Pienaar frustrates Warriors’ bowlers
A total in the low 90s appeared increasingly likely before Obus Pienaar and Maheesh Theekshana disrupted the Warriors’ plans.
With the principal spinners out of the attack, the pair added 38 for the final wicket to give the Kings a total that suddenly carried far more weight.
Pienaar struck four fours and a six in his 28-ball 35 before Romario Shepherd finally removed him.
Theekshana remained unbeaten on six as St Lucia closed on 117, having lost their final eight wickets for 64 runs.
Warriors stumble in chase
The Warriors’ pursuit was far less comfortable than the modest target suggested.
With Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi away with Afghanistan for their T20I series against India beginning Sunday, Glenn Phillips returned to the side.
Phillips and Mavindra Dindyal added 13 before Dindyal departed for five.
Phillips then supplied the innings with some stability, making 37 from 34 balls with two fours and a six. Together with Hope, who made 21, he helped take the Warriors to 50 in the 12th over.
But Theekshana broke the partnership by bowling Phillips with the score on 66-2.
The innings became increasingly precarious from there.
Miraz lasted only one ball before Chase removed him for one, while Shimron Hetmyer struck a massive six that briefly sent the loud Providence crowd into celebration.
Chase, however, struck again to dismiss Hetmyer for 14 with the Warriors on 98-5.
When Shepherd fell for one to Forde with only three runs required in the penultimate over, the possibility of an extraordinary collapse suddenly became real.
Chase finished with 3-34.
Sampson unleashes a stunning finish
Then came Sampson.
He smashed an unbeaten 37 from just 11 deliveries, launching five sixes and one four. The final blow was another six, sending the ball over the boundary and ending the contest in spectacular fashion.
What had threatened to become a nervy finish instead became a celebration, with the Providence crowd leaving the stadium grinning after watching Sampson produce one of the most remarkable late cameos of the tournament.
The Warriors had survived, and they had done so with their campaign now sitting at the summit.
