Amazon Warriors steamroll Zouks

Days after they sneaked in through a Super-Over win against Red Steel, Guyana Amazon Warriors sauntered to a comfortable nine-wicket victory over St Lucia Zouks, their third in as many games in CPL 2014. The win against the Zouks was crafted by their bowlers, especially Krishmar Santokie, who struck in each of his overs to finish with returns of 4 for 11, his best in the CPL. Martin Guptill's unbeaten 50 then steered the side to the target with four overs to spare.

Amazon Warriors' decision to put the Zouks in to bat paid off almost immediately when Santokie dismissed Henry Davids and Andre Fletcher in consecutive overs. After an opening spell of 2-0-7-2, Santokie was replaced by Veerasammy Permaul but the Zouks hardly fared better, losing Johnson Charles and Keddy Lesporis in successive overs. The score of 36 for 4 at the end of the seventh over turned to 53 for 5 in the 10th and it was only some late hitting from Sohail Tanvir and Mervin Mathew that pushed the innings along.

Tanvir came in to bat at the fall of Darren Sammy's wicket in the 11th over and struck the first ball he faced for four through point. With the side struggling at 80 for 8 in the 16th over, Tanvir attempted a late surge, with a six and a four off Jimmy Neesham, but fell in the next over.

The other brief flourish came from Mathew, who brought up the Zouks hundred with a six in the penultimate over and took 18 runs off Ronsford Beaton. The hopes of any last-over charge, however, ended when Santokie dismissed Mathews for 21.

Guptill and Lendl Simmons set the template for a quick chase with an opening stand of 76 in 9.1 overs, in which more than half their runs were scored off boundaries. Guptill, who had not exceeded a score of 4 in his previous two CPL innings, finished with 50 off 47 balls, which included two fours and three sixes.