Superb knocks by the Guyana Amazon Warriors Shai Hope and Dwaine Pretorius gave the struggling Barbados Royals another defeat as the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) continued at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Hope and Player-of-the-Match Pretorius scored half-centuries as the Warriors overhauled the Royals’ total of 165 for 6, finishing on 170 for six in 19.4 overs.

The win was set up by an 89-run partnership between Hope and Pretorius, which rescued their side from a dangerous position 30 for 4.

Royals pacers Eathan Bosch (3/35) and Ramon Simmonds (2/27) wreaked havoc on the Amazon Warriors, with Bosch dismissing Ben McDermott and Moeen Ali in the second over of the innings. At the same time, Simmonds grabbed the wickets of Shimron Hetmyer and Hassan Khan.

The outcome might have been much different had Kadeem Alleyne held on to a catch presented by Pretorius when he was only 12, but the ball popped out of his hands. This proved to be the turning point of the match, as Pretorius hit a number of boundaries to reach 36 off 27 balls.

He then smacked Green for two sixes in the ensuing over to bring up his half-century off 32 balls, but shortly after Green had him caught for 53, including four sixes and two fours, to leave the Warriors on 119 for five at the end of 14 overs.

Romario Shepherd was sent back to the pavilion for just one moment. Hope, who brought up his half-century off 39 balls, partnered with Quentin Sampson, who scored an unbeaten 33 off 20 balls.

The Warriors needed six runs off the last over. Sampson ended it in style by hitting Green over the boundary with two balls remaining.

Hope finished unbeaten on 62 off 49 balls, including five fours and one six.

Earlier, the Royals suffered a major collapse, falling to 69 for five in the 12th over. However, knocks from captain Rovman Powell and Rassie van der Dussen got them up to that eventuality, and the pair belted 82 runs in eight overs to give the home fans something to cheer about.

Powell ended on 50, not out of 28 balls, with six sixes, while van der Dussen hit 45 from 37 balls. Gudakesh Motie bagged  2/16 from his four overs for the Amazon Warriors.