ABOUT THE MATCH
In-form Guyana Amazon Warriors are favorites to win the 2019 Caribbean Premier League as they prepare to take on Barbados Tridents in the final at Tarouba. The match, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, will take place on October 12 and is scheduled to start at 17:00 local time.
The Warriors made it 11 consecutive wins when these teams last met, in the first qualifier, with Brandon King’s superb batting form continuing. He smashed 132* from 72 balls as the Warriors posted 218/3 on their way to a dominant 30-run win to maintain their perfect record this season.
Barbados Tridents’ strong finish to the league phase buoyed by the arrivals of Harry Gurney and Shakib Al Hasan and the return of in-form Hayden Walsh Jr did not go unrewarded, however. They bounced back from that defeat to beat Trinbago Knight Riders and earn their place in the final too. They do start as outsiders, however.
TOSS PREDICTION
Guyana Amazon Warriors have won the toss in each of their last three matches, while the Tridents are overdue a win after losing both in the playoffs so far. Judging by their qualifier win, the Tridents could opt to bat first again at Tarouba.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS
Prospects of play are excellent, with conditions set to be clear through the evening and the chances of rain extremely low.
The Tarouba wicket was balanced for the second qualifier, with something for the bowlers and batsmen. Recent history at the stadium suggests a score of 160 will be a very competitive one.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Guyana Amazon Warriors
Brandon King, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shoaib Malik (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Imran Tahir, Odean Smith
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Barbados Tridents
Johnson Charles, Alex Hales, Shakib Al Hasan, Shai Hope, Justin Greaves, Jonathan Carter, Raymon Reifer, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Hayden Walsh Jr, Harry Gurney
MATCH PREVIEW
Guyana Amazon Warriors
- While Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd were expensive last time out, they did take five wickets between them it could be enough to confirm their places in the team for the final.
- It would mean Ben Laughlin and Qais Ahmad missing out.
- Guyana Amazon Warriors’ perfect campaign saw them win ten from ten in the league phase the first team ever to do so and they continued that form by beating Barbados Tridents in CPL 2019 qualifier.
- Shoaib Malik (73*) and Imran Tahir (3-12) helped them to a convincing win against Jamaica Tallawahs, before Chandrapaul Hemraj (3-15) and Nicholas Pooran (54*) sealed the unbeaten league record as they beat Trinbago Knight Riders by seven wickets.
- Then, last time out, Brandon King was back in top form. He smashed 132* as the Warriors posted 218/3 against Barbados Tridents. In reply, Imran Tahir’s 2-13 from four overs was vital as they restricted the league runners-up to 188/8.
Barbados Tridents
- With Shai Hope fit again, Barbados Tridents have fielded the same team for both matches in the play-offs Justin Greaves the unlucky one to have had to make way.
- After JP Duminy suffered a hamstring injury in the second qualifier, however retiring hurt while batting Greaves might be called back into the team for this final.
- Barbados Tridents won three of their four final group games but needed two attempts at reaching the final.
- They lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors in the first qualifier finishing on 188/8 in pursuit of 219 to win after their bowlers had taken a battering.
- They were back to their best last time out, however, Ashley Nurse hitting three sixes as the seventh-wicket partnership of him and Raymon Reifer posted 48 from the final 14 balls, helping the Tridents to 160/6.
- That gave them something to defend, and Nurse cemented his man-of-the-match award by taking 2-14 from his four overs.
- Hayden Walsh, Harry Gurney, and Raymon Reifer also took two wickets apiece as they bowled the Knight Riders out for 148.
PROBABLE WINNING TEAM:
Guyana Amazon Warriors have won all 11 matches they have played in this tournament and are clear favorites for this match as a result. They can cap a perfect campaign by claiming the title.
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