Amazon Warriors make short work of Zouks

Providence (Guyana), July 20 (IANS/CMC) Guyana Amazon Warriors have played imperiously to whip St Lucia Zouks by nine wickets here in the Caribbean Premier League.

Opting to bowl first, Warriors Saturday bundled out the visitors for a paltry 117 off 19.2 overs, with left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie ripping through the innings to finish with four for 11 and off-spinner Sunil Narine taking two for 21, reports CMC.

In reply, New Zealander Martin Guptil stroked a measured unbeaten 50 off 47 balls and opening partner Lendl Simmons 36 from 27 deliveries, as Amazon Warriors marched to their target off 16 overs at the national stadium.

The victory was the third straight one for last year's losing finalists and it put them on top the standings on six points. The only other unbeaten team is defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs with four points from two games.

Zouks, meanwhile, slipped to their second straight loss following their seven-wicket defeat to Tallawahs a week ago.

Zouks batsmen were never up to the task and only tail-enders Sohail Tanvir with 32 off 25 balls and Mervin Matthew, 21 off 10 deliveries, passed 20.

Zouks lost quick wickets straightaway, plunging to 34 for four in the seventh over, and never recovered.

Sohail thumped three fours and a six in a robust innings to push Zouks close to the 100-run mark, before Matthew arrived to strike a four and two sixes in a cameo, to see the visitors reach 117.

The target would always have been too modest to seriously challenge Amazon Warriors, and the hosts went about the chase with relish, with Guptill and Simmons punishing the Zouks bowlers.

Guptill struck two fours and three sixes while Simmons counted three fours and two sixes, in a 76-run opening stand off 55 balls.

Simmons perished in the 10th over, playing on attempting to steer medium-pacer Darren Sammy to third man, but Mohammed Hafeez (17 not out) joined Guptill to add 52 for the second wicket and see Amazon Warriors over the line.

Brief scores:

St Lucia Zouks 117 off 19.2 overs (Sohail Tanvir 32, Mervin Matthew 21; Krishmar Santokie 4/11, Sunil Narine 2/21)

Guyana Aamazon Warriors 118 for one off 16 overs (Martin Guptill 50 not out, Lendl Simmons 36)

--IANS/CMC

vs/gd/