Lynn on top but Watson has last laugh

25 Jul 2016 cricket.com.au

Match Report

25 Jul 2016 cricket.com.au

Lynn moves to top of CPL leading run-scorer's list but Watson and Johnson Charles secure victory

A whirlwind innings from Australian Chris Lynn has been trumped by a match-winning partnership between Shane Watson and West Indian Johnson Charles in the Caribbean Premier League.

Lynn, the player of the tournament in last summer's KFC Big Bash League, continued his strong form for the Guyana Amazon Warriors this season, blasting six fours and six sixes in a 45-ball innings of 86 in Gros Islet on Monday.

Image Id: ~/media/044BD3023F014EDCB320B746BB689EF2 Image Caption: Chris Lynn is the leading run-scorer in the CPL //CPL/Sportsfile

Lynn's knock was the seventh time from eight innings in the tournament that he's posted more than 20, moving him to the top of the CPL's leading run-scorer's list and further enhancing his reputation as one of the best hitters in domestic T20 cricket.

Lynn's knock and a half-century from opener Dwayne Smith steered Guyana to 159 from their 20 overs, a total that proved to be well short when Charles (94 not out from 52 balls) and Watson (57no from 39 balls) combined for an unbroken 151-run stand to lead St Lucia to victory with 3.5 overs to spare.

Awesome win again from @ZouksOfficial tonight. Atmosphere at the game was electric!!! @lynny50 was absolute class#superstar#powertoburn
— Shane Watson (@ShaneRWatson33) July 25, 2016

After losing his opening partner Andre Fletcher in the third over of the chase, Charles took on Guyana's attack with typical abandon, clearing the rope seven times and finding strong support from Watson, who struck seven fours of his own.

Aussie legspinner Adam Zampa finished with figures of 0-31 for Guyana, his second wicketless match in a row after he'd taken 12 in his first six games.

Sammy makes Saint Lucia his own, literally

Earlier, Watson had taken 2-27 from his four overs - including the wicket of Lynn - to take his tournament tally to 11, the sixth most in the competition.

Of the other Australians involved, Guyana's Nic Maddinson was dismissed for 2 while veteran Mike Hussey wasn't required to bat for the Zouks.

The win was St Lucia's second in as many days and third in a row after their seven-wicket victory over Barbados on Sunday, which came thanks to 41 from Charles and another two-wicket haul from Watson.

St Lucia's back-to-back victories moved them up to third on the CPL standings, two points behind Guyana in second place, with the chasing pack pursuing Chris Gayle's in-form Jamaica Tallawahs side.