Tallawahs look to solidify semi-final spot

The Jamaica Tallawahs will be hoping to continue their winning streak and solidify their top-four position in the Caribbean Premier League when they take on the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the first of two back-to-back games in the Caribbean Premier League.

The teams entering today’s 1:30 p.m. Jamaica time encounter have identical records of eight games, four wins and four losses. However, the Tallawahs in third place have a better net run rate of 0.536 compared to the Warriors in fifth place with a net run rate of negative 0.248.

With the semi-final placings up for grabs, the teams will be pulling out all the stops with just two games to go in the league phase of the competition.

The Tallawahs will be buoyed by their back-to-back wins against the Patriots and the Kings and head coach Floyd Reifer is eyeing the big picture with the team still taking it game by game.

“The aim is to win the competition, but you have to get to the final four first. By doing that, we must take it game by game,” said Reifer.

JAMAICANS ON TEAMS

Today’s contest will feature several Jamaicans on both sides with the Warriors having in their ranks, opening batsman Brandon King as well as all-rounder Odean Smith who has been a revelation for the Guyana franchise this season with 116 runs in six innings and 10 wickets in the tournament so far.

For the Tallawahs, they will be looking to their top-scoring opener Kennar Lewis to continue his good form, following his second-most runs in the tournament with 243 in eight innings with two half-centuries.

For Lewis, his role is simple which is to give the team the best possible start. “I just stick to the basics every game and try to maximise the power play and play to my strength. That is always the plan with me at the top of the innings to be aggressive against any bowling unit and that is just my way of playing,” said Lewis.

After today’s game, the Tallawahs will have to do without left-arm spinning all-rounder Imad Wasim who is set to fly out of the Caribbean, and captain Powell knows all too well what his absence will mean to the team.

“It’s a big void that I don’t think we can fill (we are) losing four quality overs and lower order batting, but we have useful guys on the bench and that is important in a competition like this.”

The same teams will then wrap up the preliminary round on Sunday with another 1:30 p.m. Jamaica time fixture.