Tillakaratne Dilshan steers Guyana Amazon Warriors into CPL final

Tillakaratne Dilshan

Port of Spain (Trinidad) - Guyana Amazon Warriors outplayed Red Steel Trinidad Tobago winning by seven wickets to enter the final of the Limacol Caribbean Professional League here at the Queens Park Oval.

Sent in to bat, Red Steel were shot out for 103 in 19.3 overs and the Warriors then chased down the target in 16.2 overs losing three wickets here Thursday, reports CMC.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, playing his first match of the League for the warriors, was named man of the match for his 39 off 29 balls with three fours and one six and picking up two wickets for 14 runs off four overs.

Ramnaresh Sarwan hoisted Kevon Cooper for a boundary to mid wicket to finish undefeated on 18 while William Perkins, playing his first match of the competition, scored 18 off 19 balls with three boundaries.

Red Steel had their confidence lifted when Lendl Simmons was caught by Sulieman Benn pulling at Fidel Edwards for eight.

Then Perkins was caught at extra cover by Samuel Badree miscuing a flick off Sulieman Benn and Dilshan was deceived by a slower delivery from Cooper offering a tame return catch to the bowler. Sarwan and James Franklin came together to feature in an unbroken stand of 29 for the fourth wicket to steer the Amazon Warriors to the finals.

When Red Steel batted they seemed to lose wickets in pairs – Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo with the score on 32, Kevon Cooper and Sulieman Benn at 101, Dwayne Bravo and Fidel Edwards on 103.

Cooper top scored with 27 off 17 balls and Dwayne Bravo scored a fighting 26 before being dismissed by Lasith Malinga, another Sri Lankan getting a first taste of the CPL.

Apart from Dilshan’s fine spell, the consistent Krishmar Santokie bagged two for 20 and Malinga ended with two for 18.

The second semi-final will be played here Friday with Barbados Tridents facing the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Brief scores: Trinidad Tobago Red Steel 103 in 19.3 overs (Dwayne Bravo 26, Kevan Cooper 27,Krishmar Santokhie 2/20, Tillakaratne Dilshan 2/14, Veerasammy Perumal 2/22) lost to Guyana Warriors 107 for 3 in 16.2 overs (Dilshan 39).