Tallawahs fall short in low-scoring contest

If you are a Tallawahs fan, you might not want to read much further, as the Jamaican franchise put in yet another hapless display with the bat to lose by 14 runs to the Guyana Amazon Warriors, in a low-scoring Caribbean Premier League encounter at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

In retrospect, it was a game that the powerful Tallawahs batting line-up on paper should have won, especially after bowling out the Warriors for 118 runs in 19.1 overs. However, the Warriors spinners, coupled with inauspicious batting, saw the Jamaican franchise restricted to 104 for seven in 20 overs to lose their second game on the trot. The Warriors’ score was the lowest to be successfully defended in Caribbean Premier League history.

The Tallawahs coach Floyd Reifer promised ‘fearless’ cricket. However, it was a Jamaican on the opposite side that took the early fight to the Tallawahs.

Warriors opener Brandon King showed his fine pedigree when he faced Oshane Thomas, as the right-hander took 24 runs from the burly pacers only over to give the Warriors the morale boosting start that they needed.

It took Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman to slow the momentum, as he got the breakthrough when he had King bowled for 29 with 54 runs on the board.

That wicket brought about a mini-collapse, as Shimron Hetmyer (0) and Chanderpaul Hemraj (21) fell in quick succession to bring the Tallawahs back into the contest at 57 for three in the seventh over.

When Mujeeb had Nicholas Pooran caught behind for four to pick up his third wicket at 67 for four, the Warriors stumbled to 118 runs, thanks to 21 from Ross Taylor and 14 from Naveen Ul Haq.

It was a resilient bowling display from the Jamaican franchise as Carlos Brathwaite also contributed with the ball, bagging three for 13, while there were two wickets for leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane.

MISERABLE RUN

Much was expected in the run chase from openers Glen Phillips and Chadwick Walton, but the Warriors captain Chris Green had other ideas. The Aussie spinner ensured Walton’s miserable run with the bat continued when he trapped the right-hander with the first ball of the innings for nought.

Nkrumah Bonner who came into the team also failed with the bat, as he was given out leg before to Green for four to leave the Tallawahs in tatters at four for two in the third over.

It would get worst for the Jamaican franchise when Phillips fell to a brilliant catch at point from Keemo Paul off Ashmead Nedd for nought to leave the Jamaican franchise wobbling at four for three.

Captain Rovman Powell and Pakistani Asif Ali tried to rescue the innings with a 30-run fourth-wicket partnership but when Ali fell for 14, things were looking bleak once more for the Talalwahs at 34 for four.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals due to the disciplined aggressive bowling by the Warriors. When Powell became the sixth wicket to fall for 23 with 50 runs on the board, the writing was on the wall for the Tallawahs.

Andre ‘Dangerruss’ Russell tried to resuscitate the innings with some lusty blows towards the end, but it was a little too late, as Russell ended unbeaten on 52 and the Tallawahs 14 runs short of their target.

Losing captain Rovman Powell could not hide his disappointment but he highlighted some positives in the team’s loss.

“We are very disappointed, but such is the nature of the game. Both teams batted poorly, and the batting needs to improve. The bowling and fielding department, and Russell finding form – were the positives for us in this loss,” said Powell.

The Jamaica Tallawahs will next face the Warriors again in a day/night game on Tuesday.