Shimron Hetmyer is doing things differently for this year’s edition of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League and his changed approach is already paying off, as defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors made it two wins in two games with a comfortable 40-run win over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park, Wednesday.
The Warriors scored 266/7 in the first innings, with Hetmyer hitting 91 off 39 deliveries. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (69 off 37) and Keemo Paul (38 off 14) were also ultra-aggressive with the bat.
In fact, Hetmyer took the ground conditions out of the equation all together by blitzing 11 sixes to all parts of the stadium in his knock of just 39 balls. It was a powerful display of hitting in an innings that didn’t include a single four.
“It’s just a bit clearer this year. and a little bit more hungry. I’m trying as much as possible to do as much as I can in the nets, and I do a lot more praying than I have before as well.” says Hetmyer.
“I was just trying to play the ball on its merit really,” Hetmyer said after the match. “I think that was one of the times that I tried as much as possible to just play each ball on its merit and not try to do something different.”
He added: “It was an innings of two halves. In the beginning I was just going a little bit. Me and (Rahmanullah) Gurbaz were batting pretty good. Then I just had to pull it back a little bit I think because we had two wickets that fell. In that space I just had to pull back a little bit, and I think a little bit of tiredness came in just slightly.”
The Warriors’ total was the second highest in CPL history, just one run behind the score made by the Trinbago Knight Riders against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019.
The match also set a record for sixes in a CPL match, with 42 Republic Bank Maximums flying out of Warner Park.
In reply, the Patriots were all out for 226 in 18 overs, losing the game by 40 runs.
Andre Fletcher (33-ball 81) got his team off to a superb start, while Kyle Mayers (28 off 17) and Sherfane Rutherford (34 off 12) also chipped in with good cameos, but it was never going to be enough. For Guyana, Gudakesh Motie and Imran Tahir scalped three wickets each.
Summarized scores:
Amazon Warriors 266-7, 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 91, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 69, Keemo Paul 38)
vs Patriots 226, 18 overs (Andre Fletcher 81, Sherfane Rutherford 34, Mikyle Louis 31; Gudakesh Motie 3/34, Imran Tahir 3/48, Dwaine Pretorius 2/46)
—Amazon Warriors won by 40 runs.