CPL 2020: Match 10, Guyana Amazon Warriors vs St Lucia Zouks, Preview- An exciting clash awaits between two settled teams

Starting their respective campaigns on the wrong note, both the teams have found their rhythm after winning two consecutive encounters.

Published - 23 Aug 2020, 12:47 IST | Updated - 23 Aug 2020, 12:47 IST

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The Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on St Lucia Zouks in the 10th match of CPL 2020 on 23rd August at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad. Starting their respective campaigns on the wrong note, both the teams have found their rhythm after winning two consecutive encounters.

The runners-up of CPL 2019, Warriors, have slammed St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs by 3 wickets and 14 runs respectively to script their 2-match streak, whereas the Zouks have defeated defending champions Barbados Tridents by 7 wickets and the hapless Patriots by 10 runs to make it two on two.

It was quite an outing for the bowlers in the clash of Warriors and Tallawahs and the match turned out to be a low scoring thriller. Chris Green and his men were dismissed for a paltry score of 118, five balls before their allotted 20 overs. However, in what turned to be an inspiring effort from the bowlers, they restricted Tallawahs for just 104 to clinch the match.

On the other hand, Zouks inflicted the third loss of the tournament on the Patriots as Mohammad Nabi, Roston Chase, and Scott Kuggeleijn shone with their efforts. They got off to a flying start courtesy Andre Fletcher and Mark Deyal’s knocks at the top as well as Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi in the middle-order. Kuggeleijn and Chase broke the Patriots’ back as they bagged 7 wickets between them and Zouks ended victorious by 10 runs.

This is going to be an exciting clash between two settled teams both of which are on a winning roll.

Playing combinations

Guyana Amazon Warriors

The Warriors will be breathing bit easy after openers Brandon King and Chandrapaul Hemraj found some form. Their most valuable performer Shimron Hetmyer missed out in the last match and scored a duck.

The middle-order woes for them have persisted as Nicholas Pooran and Sherfane Rutherford have made no contributions whatsoever and as a result, Ross Taylor has not been able to play his natural game either. However, any change in this combination looks improbable for the time being.

Chris Green has not led by example in any of the matches till here, though with the ball, he was quite good in the last game. The team must be grateful to the bowling unit after each one in Keemo Paul, Imran Tahir, Ashmead Nedd, and Naveen-ul-Haq bagged a wicket each. Debutant Nedd was right on the money and took a wicket at a ridiculous economy of 2.5 in his 4 overs. Naveen played a hand with the bat for his 17 in the last game has been in wickets in all the three matches.

Predicted XI- Brandon King, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Ross Taylor, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Chris Green (C), Ashmead Nedd/Romario Shepherd, Naveen-ul-Haq, Imran Tahir.

Bench: Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Jessy Singh, Ashmead Nedd, Kissoodath Magram.

St Lucia Zouks

Opener Andre Fletcher looked smooth during his 46 off 33 though he missed out on a half-century. Zouks posted the highest total of this season in their last match courtesy Fletcher’s knock and young Deyal’s 30 off 17. Rahkeem Cornwall faced some issues and went off the field. Any tampering in the top-order seems unlikely.

Roston Chase has been continuously performing with either bat or ball. He scored a duck in the last game but compensated by bagging 3 wickets at an incredible economy of 4. Mohammad Nabi has won back to back Man-of-the-match awards for his all-round performances. His countryman Najibullah Zadran also made a valuable contribution with the bat in the middle-order.

Scott Kuggeleijn was the pick of the bowlers as he bagged 4 wickets. Spinner Saad-bin-Zafar lacked discipline and got the treatment. Obed McCoy and Kesrick Williams, who has had a cold tournament thus far, leaked runs and did nothing to make things easy for the team.

Predicted XI- Andre Fletcher (WK), Rahkeem Cornwall, Mark Deyal, Roston Chase, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Daren Sammy (C), Scott Kuggeleijn, Obed McCoy, Kesrick Williams, Saad Bin Zafar.

Bench: Javelle Glen, Kavem Hodge, Chemar Holder, Leniko Boucher, Kimani Melius, Zahir Khan.