Swashbuckling West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd unleashed carnage at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, in Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Wednesday in CPL 2025’s latest match for Guyana Amazon Warriors against St Lucia Kings.
Shepherd, who represented the Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this year in the IPL, clobbered an unbeaten 73 runs off 34 balls, but the knock went in vain as the Kings chased down 203 with 11 balls to spare.
The standout aspect of Shepherd’s knock was getting 22 runs in a single legal delivery for the Warriors. It happened in the 15th over of the first innings when the Kings’ captain, David Wiese, brought fast bowler Oshane Thomas into the attack. Thomas had to bowl the third delivery five times. He started with a no-ball, handing a free hit to Shepherd, before bowling a wide delivery. This was followed by another front-foot no ball, which the batter smacked over deep mid-wicket for a six. Shepherd sent the length ball over the roof at deep square leg on the free-hit for a six. The hooter went on again, leaving Kings coach Daren Sammy fuming in the dugout.
Wiese ran to Thomas to have a chat as the bowler himself was left frustrated. Thomas finally bowled a legal delivery on his fifth attempt, but the treatment he received was the same – length ball, angled into the leg stump, and the batter sent it over the roof yet again. Sammy could only smile wryly.
Thomas ended the over with another six, this time from Iftikhar Ahmed, as 33 runs were conceded in a single over.
Despite the effort from Shepherd, who single-handedly powered the score past the 200-run mark, the Kings chased it down with ease. Riding on Ackeem Auguste’s fiery half-century knock, en route to a 35-ball 73, Saint Lucia Kings crossed the 100-run mark in the 10th over itself, before completing the chase in 18.1 overs.
Guyana Amazon Warriors will next face Trinbago Knight Riders on August 30 at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad. Saint Lucia Kings will be in action on Thursday against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.