Latest update February 10th, 2025 7:48 AM
Harper says win against B’dos very important
By Sean Devers in Florida
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Head Coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Roger Harper feels that
Thursday night’s victory over the Barbados Tridents was very important in that it not only enabled the team to qualify for next week’s play-off in St Kitts but got the team back to their winning ways.
“The win was very important since we had to win at least one match here (Florida) to qualify for St Kitts and it got us back to our winning ways,” said the 53-year-old former West Indies all-rounder.
The Warriors, who moved to 12 points after the win, won their first two away games before winning three of their four home games but then lost their last two games in Jamaica and St Lucia.
There was some concern that the team had peaked too early but Harper said he did not believe that was the case.
“I think we played good cricket in the early matches we won and some bad cricket in the ones we lost. We have now returned to our winning ways and although we did not give our best performance here we made it,” said Harper who played 25 Tests and 105 ODIs.
“We will look at the areas we did not do well in tonight (Thursday) that caused us make the game closer that it should have been,” said Harper who made his First-Class debut for Guyana as a 17-year-old Queens College Schoolboy.
Harper explained that while Chris Barnwell was having a poor run of form the conditions in Florida suited the all-rounders and that was a reason why he was selected.
Barnwell was used as a bowler for the time in nine matches and took 1-30 from three overs, took a brilliant catch and batted positively to hit a six and four in his unbeaten 15.
“We all know of his ability to score quickly and he saw us home tonight and that little innings would have done a lot of good for his confidence,” the former Guyana Captain said.
Dwayne Smith smashed a pugnacious 50 to earn the Man-of-the-Match award but Harper was pleased that 24-year-old Australian Nick Maddison also got 50 in only his second game in CPL cricket after coming in as a replacement for Skipper Martin Guptill who left due to International duties.
“He (Maddison) is a very good player and I am pleased that he had the opportunity to spend some time in the middle to get accustomed to the conditions,” Harper disclosed.
Maddison faced 41 balls and hit six fours and a six in a well crafted even half-century and shared in 92-run opening partnership with Smith and helped the Warriors to post their sixth win with one match remaining before the play offs.
“We are going to play positive cricket in our last game and look for a win to finish one or two after the group stage,” said the former West Indies Coach.
Harper feels the CPL matches in Florida will help to create interest for cricket among Americans and said the Central Broward Park was a good enough venue to host more International games.
Guyana face the Tridents in their final game from noon today and both teams will have to deal the extremely hot weather in Fort Lauderdale at this time.
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