BASSETERRE, ST. Kitts - FOLLOWING their disappointing three-match loss at home, the St. Kitts-Nevis Patriots have suffered yet another defeat; this time going under to the Guyana Amazon Warriors by four wickets at the Providence Stadium in Georgetown.
An under-fire Lendell Simmons top scored for the Patriots as they could only amass a paltry 108 for 8 off their allotted 20 overs on a slow track favouring spin bowlers.
In reply, Warriors captain Martin Guptill blasted his team to victory with a quick fire 43 as they reached their target with 22 balls to spare.
Taking first strike, Simmons struck two fours and one six in his 60 runs contribution which was the only bright spot as Patriots wickets began tumbling around him.
Jonathan Carter and Shamarh Brooks were the only other batsmen to get into double figures, as the team struggled to get pass 100.
Australian leg-break bowler Adam Zampa was the chief destroyer for the Warriors, snagging three for 18 from four overs.
Patriots captain Faf Du Plessis told reporters that his team’s batting is not at the position they would want it to be and that has been the downfall for his men during the tournament so far.
“We have really got a strong batting line-up on paper and we are just not putting the runs on [board] that we would like. Today was obviously a different wicket where we need 120 or 125 to be in the game and I think our mindset was pretty defensive.”
This is the fourth loss in five games for the Patriots which currently sit at the bottom of the points table.
“We have to try and fix it and obviously it is about four or five more games to go,” Du Plessis said.
Further, Du Plessis noted that the team’s batting needs to come to the party and put the runs on the board, adding that the bowling has not always been good but the bowlers has been fighting with the ball.
Guptill and Chris Lynn put on a 60-run partnership after they lost opener Dwayne Smith early with the score on 7, but it was superb batting from the captain that ensured the Warriors remain on top of the points table.
Tabraiz Shamsi, Samuel Badree and Jon-Jon Smuts each picked up two wickets.
The Patriots now moves to the Kensington Oval in Barbados where they will take on the Tridents on Tuesday evening.
