CPL 2023: Motie (4-29) delivers huge win for Amazon Warriors
Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer were to build on that momentum taking the score to 101-3 at the halfway stage of the innings and Hope leading the way, racing to his half-century from 26 balls.
However, the partnership was eventually broken by Izharulhaq Naveed – the wrist spinner bowling the destructive Hope for 54. That wicket was quickly followed up by the dismissal of Hetmyer for 26, the left-hander holing out to the deep point boundary.
Those wickets briefly took the momentum out of the innings, but Keemo Paul (25 off 18) and Romario Shepherd (25* off 10) added quick runs at the back end to help the Warriors post an imposing total of 197-7.
The Patriots were never really in the game in their reply as scoreboard pressure told.
Andre Fletcher and Joshua Da Silva fell inside the Powerplay to leave the Patriots 37-2 at the end of six overs.
Patriots captain Evin Lewis played a fine counter attacking innings of 48 from 24 balls to bring the required run rate down to a more manageable total but that scenario did not last long.
Lewis and Sherfane Rutherford fell six balls apart to leave the Patriots 88-4 at the halfway stage.
Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals with Gudakesh Motie the star with the ball as he finished with career-best figures in a spell that included the wicket of Ambati Rayudu.
The left arm spinner took 4-29 to leave the Amazon Warriors on the cusp of victory and the final rites were indeed read when Naveed was caught on the boundary by Hetmyer. (CPL)