Spineless Tallawahs end 2019 CPL on losing note

Jamaica Tallawahs ended the 2019 edition of the Caribbean Premier League on a losing note as they succumbed to a 77-run defeat to the Guyana Amazon Warriors at Providence in their final match. The loss was the Tallawahs' eighth of the tournament as they finished bottom of the table on four points.

The historic Warriors extended their record unbeaten run in this year's tournament to nine games, with one preliminary round match to come against the Trinbago Knight Riders.

The visiting Tallawahs were looking to close out their tournament on a positive note, and it began brightly as the Warriors, who elected to bat first, were off to a disastrous start, reeling at eight for four at one stage in the second over.

Pacer Oshane Thomas first bowled Brandon King for one, then had Shimron Hetmyer caught behind first ball for a duck. Derval Green then got in on the act as he bowled Chandrapaul Hemraj with a beauty for two, then trapped Nicholas Pooran in front for nought with the very next ball to silence the vociferous Guyana fans.

FIfth-wicket partnership

Man of the Match and captain Shoaib Malik along with Sherfane Rutherford then began the rescue act putting on a valuable 82-run fifth-wicket partnership to spruce up the Warriors total.

Rutherford made 45 from 43 balls and Malik got an unbeaten on 73 from 45 balls as the Warriors posted 156 for six in 20 overs.

The Tallawahs could not have asked for the worst start as they lost Chris Gayle with the first ball of the innings, bowled by off-spinner Chris Green for a duck.

That wicket seemed to have sent the Tallawahs dressing room into shockwaves as none of the batters that came to the crease after looked settled in any way shape or form.

Glen Phillips and Liton Das barely got going and made 21 apiece, but the Warriors bowlers stifled the Tallawahs batting, as they succumbed to their lowest ever CPL total of 79 all out in 16.3 overs.

Leg spinner Imran Tahir led the demolition with 3 for 12 from for overs, while there were two wickets each for Qais Ahmad and Keemo Paul.

Losing captain Chris Gayle lamented what was an awful season for the Tallawahs.

"It's a disappointing one, I must say apologies to the Tallawahs fans. It's a tough season but credit must go to Guyana, they've been playing terrific cricket so I wish them all the best," Gayle said.