Warriors finally weave complete bowling performance to keep final hopes alive

Spinners, attack!

When the Trinbago Knight Riders arrived in Trinidad for the first of their three home games, Deandra Dottin had already returned to retake the reins of the defending champions who were set to battle the Guyana Amazon Warriors. And despite a very wayward and expensive Marie Kelly 17-run fourth over, the home side were able to restrict the Warriors to their lowest powerplay score this season (44 for 1), thanks to a controlled opening spell from Shamilia Connell: 1 for 20 from her four overs.

The Knight Riders then, to good effect, unleashed their left-arm orthodox duo of Fran Jonas and Zaida James, keeping the right-handed Sophie Devine and Stafanie Taylor at bay outside the powerplay. For that reason, the Warriors were allowed just 25 runs between overs seven and ten. Yet, once Taylor, who was playing her most fluent knock of the tournament so far, and Devine were at the crease, an attack was pending.

The Warriors threatened a calculated acceleration after the drinks interval, prompting Dottin to reintroduce Anisa Mohammed into the attack. After being lofted down the ground for a four by Devine, the experienced Mohammed then dragged her length back to the Kiwi who had ideas of replicating the shot the following ball, only to be caught for a 39-ball 48.

The sequence of events that led to the dismissal of Shemaine Campbelle was similar to that of Devine, and after skipping down the wicket to Mohammed for a boundary, Campbelle 7 (10) was bowled the following delivery with the ball keeping low at the end of the 15th. The surface also acted up for the wicket of Taylor 32 (29), whose only aim, at the start of the 16th was to keep out a low delivery from Kelly, but the Warriors skipper only managed to provide a catch to midwicket. Taylor’s demise was only the beginning, beginning of the Warriors’ collapse, that is. The Guyana side could only muster 26 runs in their last five overs due to the brilliance of Mohammed and the redemption of Kelly who were backed up expertly in the field, dismissing the Warriors for 132 inside 20 overs.

A complete bowling display

In response, the Knight Riders were slow out of the blocks, going at under 5 rpo for the first five overs of their run chase while Sheneta Grimmond had Kelly 16 (16) stumped in the 4th over to provide the Warriors’ first breakthrough. With the likes of Shreyanka Patil, Suzie Bates, and Karishma Ramharack in operation, the Warriors were able to squeeze the Kycia Knight-Lee-Ann Kirby 36-ball 26-run second-wicket partnership, before Ramharack first snuffed out, Kycia 19 (24) then Kirby 8 (19) in the 10th.

The Warriors kept things tight while picking up regular wickets, next removing Mignon du Preez 8 (11) and Kyshona Knight 2 (5) in the span of eight deliveries to leave the hosts 74 for 5 at the end of the 14th. And following the wicket of Britney Cooper 5 (3) who was bowled by Patil at the start of the 16th, Zaida James, the last recognized batter in the Knight Riders line-up, joined Dottin out in the middle.

Needing 49 runs from 29 balls, Dottin had to take on Devine. So when the latter missed the yorker and offered up a full toss the Barbadian latched on, swinging over midwicket for a maximum followed by a slash down to third for a four. Yet Devine had the last say when Dottin 35 (19) miscued the following delivery to provide a simple catch for Campbelle behind the stumps. Thus, TKR no longer provided a threat and the Warriors would claim their first victory of the season.

Scores:

Amazon Warriors 132 all out (19.5)

Sophie Devine 48 (39) & Stafanie Taylor 32 (29); Anisa Mohammed 4/28 & Marie Kelly 30

Trinbago Knight Riders 111/9 (20)

Deandra Dottin 35 (19) & Kycia Knight 19 (24); Shreyanka Patil 2/15 & Karishma Ramharack 16/2

Warriors won by 21 runs