DWAINE PRETORIUS' SIX-HITTING FINAL BALL HEROICS LIGHTS UP CPL

Durban's Super Giants all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius was the superhero for Guyana Amazon Warriors in last night’s thrilling Caribbean Premier League clash against the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons.

Pretorius (20 not out off 10 balls; 3x4, 1x6) silenced the home fans at the North Sound Ground in Antigua with a flawless batting display at the death to take the Amazon Warriors over the line on the very last ball.

The former Proteas international was a picture of calmness when the Warriors required 16 off the final over set to be bowled by the experienced Pakistani left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir.

Pretorius managed to find the boundary off consecutive deliveries midway through the over as he clipped a low full toss behind square before squeezing a block hole delivery in the same direction.

Eight runs were now needed from the final three balls.

Amir struck back with a delivery that slanted across the right-hander and Pretorius could only manage a waft outside the off-stump as the ball went through the wicket-taker. 

Eight off two deliveries required now.

The tension was palpable as the Falcons had lost off the final ball the previous night too.

Pretorius consigned the new CPL franchise to the same fate again when he slashed a boundary over point off the penultimate delivery before holding his nerve to crunch the last ball over long-off six to claim a stunning three-wicket victory.

The CPL defending champions had looked dead and buried when they required 47 off the final three overs to haul in the Falcons’ 168/6.

But former Joburg Super Kings all-rounder Romario Shepherd, fresh from his superb performances with the ball for the West Indies against the Proteas in the recent T20I series, took his new-found confidence through to the bat as he smashed 32 off just 16 balls, which included four maximums.

“It was a great game of cricket. Everyone enjoyed. We showed our character. We believe anyone of our teammates can finish the job. I am happy and pleased,” said Warriors captain and JSK leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

“We know Romario can hit the ball, he did that job for us last year. Sheppy was unbelievable.”

Pretoria Capitals’ new recruit Rahmanullah Gurbaz had earlier set up the Warriors’ run-chase with the Afghanistan opener scoring 20 off 14 balls.

FULL LIST OF SA20 STARS TO WATCH IN THE CPL

 Antigua & Barbuda Falcons

Brandon King (West Indies, Durban's Super Giants), Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan, MI Cape Town)

Barbados Royals

Quinton de Kock (SA, Durban's Super Giants), David Miller (SA, Paarl Royals), Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan, Durban's Super Giants), Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka, Joburg Super Kings)

Guyana Amazon Warriors 

Dwaine Pretorius (SA, Durban's Super Giants), Imran Tahir (SA, Joburg Super Kings), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan, Pretoria Capitals)

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 

Anrich Nortje (SA, Pretoria Capitals), Rilee Rossouw (SA, Pretoria Capitals), Tristan Stubbs (SA, Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Tabraiz Shamsi (SA, Joburg Super Kings), Nuwan Thushara (Sri Lanka, MI Cape Town)

St Lucia Kings

Faf du Plessis (SA, Joburg Super Kings), David Wiese (Namibia/SA, Joburg Super Kings), Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan, Durban's Super Giants)

*Heinrich Klaasen (SA, Durban's Super Giants) has withdrawn from the CPL due to personal reasons.