Cpl

 Having elected to bowl first, Tallawahs captain Rovman Powell could not have hoped for better than the Edwards yorker which bowled Brandon King first ball of the match. Anthony Bramble, playing his first Hero CPL game since 2016, survived LBW shouts from both Edwards and Mujeeb, but Shimron Hetmyer was not so lucky off the Afghan spinner.

Bramble was unable to settle, playing out eight straight dot balls including a Mujeeb maiden before pulling Edwards straight to the captain on the fence. Only Ross Taylor clubbing Andre Russell for a Hero Maximum then pulling him for four got the Amazon Warriors as far as 30/3 off the Powerplay.

Taylor hammered Powell for four, but Carlos Brathwaite conceded just 10 off his two overs, and Lamichhane started beautifully. At halfway the Warriors had crawled to 53/3, and it was only to get worse against the Tallawahs’ high-class spinners.

Mujeeb turned a carrom ball to bowl Nicholas Pooran, whose only boundary in his 17 ball innings was an edge past the keeper, and Lamichhane’s googly deceived Sherfane Rutherford into giving up an easy catch to Asif Ali at cover.

Russell chipped in with an inswinger to trap Taylor LBW, and Mujeeb got captain Chris Green with a beauty that Green edged to his opposite number at slip. Mujeeb was unplayable, as evidenced not just by his 3/11 but by 18 of his 24 deliveries being dot balls.

The Amazon Warriors became frantic, and only a full-length dive saved Keemo Paul from being run out. Lamichhane’s last over was just as good as his first three, and even his outstanding figures of 1/12 might have been a little harsh on him.

Five wides from Edwards were the Amazon Warriors’ first ‘boundary’ in 58 balls, and the first off the bat took another 12 after that. It was a fine straight hit from Naveen for a Hero Maximum, but it did come after Edwards picked up Paul LBW with another big inswinger. A farcical run out involving four separate fielders off the last ball was a fitting reflection of the Amazon Warriors’ innings.

Where King had been bowled first ball of the Amazon Warriors’ innings, Phillips smacked the first of the Tallawahs’ for four. Walton, however, was bowled by a Tahir googly, which the South African again celebrated by taking the knee. Jermaine Blackwood, playing his first Hero CPL in five years, hammered his first ball for four but his second almost bowled him, ending a dramatic over.

Tahir caused havoc in his second over too, but Blackwood drove Ashmead Nedd for four and Phillips swept Green over square leg for a Hero Maximum to keep things moving against the spinners. But while Phillips took Naveen for a straight six and a four through point, the Afghan fast bowler got his own back when the New Zealander sliced to Paul at point. The Tallawahs reached 40/2 off the Powerplay, and the required run rate was now under 5 RPO.

Asif, trying to fulfil his role as a power-hitter, was brilliantly caught off Paul by a diving Green coming in from long-off. Green then took a fine catch off Nedd too, this time above his head inches from the rope, to send back Powell just as Powell had caught him earlier. Nkrumah Bonner came in above Brathwaite and Russell, and the Tallawahs plodded to 58/4 after 10 overs.

Blackwood sweetly drove Naveen for four first ball after the drinks break, but under-edged the second to keeper Pooran who took a smart low catch. That brought Russell to the crease, which in turn prompted Green to bring back Tahir. Russell and Bonner decided to play out the veteran, and thus the over went for just three. 

Bonner ensured Paul’s over would beat that total with a classy glide past point off the first ball, but with 7 overs to go the game was still far tenser than 37 needed off 42 balls would suggest. Nedd continued to impress, his final over going for just two. The Tallawahs struggled again to rotate the strike, and Bonner was lucky not to edge a wild hack off Naveen. Remarkably given the target, the Tallwahs went into the last five overs needing over a run a ball.

That, however, was as close as it got. Russell sent Tahir clean over the roof and then Paul hard and flat into the stands, Bonner almost took out the umpire with a straight drive off Paul, and when Naveen returned Russell somehow poked a wide ball through point for four and Bonner finished in style with ten off two balls. Unlike on Saturday, this time Russell didn’t have to do it by himself, and the win was, in the end, a formality.

 Summary: (Jamaica Tallawahs 113/5 (Bonner 30*, Phillips 26, Russell 23*, Blackwood 23; Naveen 2/35, Paul 1/16, Nedd 1/17, Tahir 1/23) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 108/9 (Taylor 25, Naveen 20*, Pooran 15; Mujeeb 3/11, Edwards 3/30, Lamichhane 1/12, Russell 1/17) by 5 wickets)

Upcoming Fixture: Wednesday 26 August - Match 13: St Lucia Zouks v Barbados Tridents (10 am), Queen’s Park Oval

Mohammad Nabi slammed a crucial 31 and then took 3 for 10 as the Tallawahs secured a 33-run win over the St Lucia Kings, despite getting off to a slow start.

On Wednesday, the Tallawahs will look to add to that achievement when they face off against the hosts for a place in the final.  The two-time champions have not reached the final in four seasons but Powell believes that could be set to change.

 “We are ready, we are expecting a full house but we won’t pay any attention to that,” Powell said after the team’s win on Wednesday.

“We are not focused on that, all the guys need to do is to keep on improving.  We need to keep improving batting in the first ten overs and I think if we do that we will be on our way.”

Russell boasted the team’s highest average of 44.40 last year, having scored 222 runs in 9 matches.  The all-rounder also bagged three wickets.  Brathwaite largely struggled with the bat, averaging just 12 runs in 11 matches but took 10 wickets.

Powell, who was the team captain, also had a below par season, scoring 106 runs in 11 matches for an average of 11.77, while Walton struggled after averaging 3 runs in eight matches, with a high score of 10.

Interestingly, there has been no mention of the team’s leading run-scorer last season, Glenn Phillips, who has been one of the team’s most consistent performers for the last 4 seasons.  The 24-year-old was recently offered his first retainer contract by New Zealand Cricket.

 Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who was the team’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets last season, and Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who snared 12 wickets, the second most, have also not been retained.

In the meantime, the Tallawahs have also kept faith with fast bowler Fidel Edwards who showed plenty of pace after returning to the CPL in 2020.  The Jamaica-based franchise will also be welcoming back left-arm spinner Verasammy Permaul and ICC America's player from last season, Ryan Persaud. 

The rest of the squad, which includes the remaining 10 spots, will be announced in the coming weeks.

In seven games to date, Walton has managed a paltry 14 runs at the top of the order.  A closer look at the batsman's individual scores on the Tallawah’s scorecards card makes for even more horrific reading.  On three occasions Walton has been dismissed without scoring, in three other matches he made 1 twice and 2 once.  His highest total of 10 runs came against the Barbados Tridents.

With the team struggling to hold on to the crucial fourth-place spot, after 3 wins and 4 losses, pressure has continually built on the opener, who suffered a similar fate even when coming further down the batting line-up.

“To be honest when we look at our squad, we still have to back Chadwick.  We just have to hope that he comes good at some point,” Powell said following the team’s latest loss to the Knight Riders.

“We are heading into the business end of the competition and hopefully he has the mental strength to pull through.”

Walton also struggled to make an impact for the team last season who had their worst season after finishing in last position.

Batting first the Zouks post 158 for 7, a respectable score, but at 144 for 5 after 17.2 overs seemed set to score in the region of 170.  Under pressure from a miserly spin attack, from the Tallawahs, things started to unravel for the Zouks. After losing their set batsman Chase, they failed to hit a boundary from that point on. In the last 22 balls, they managed only 14 runs, and a total that seemed to be headed towards 175 fell well short.

Offspinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Sandeep Lamichhane played a starring role for the Tallawahs, their clever and un-predictable variations making it difficult for the Zouks to cut loose.  Lamicchane was the more economical of the pair, giving away 23 runs from his four overs, with Mujeeb conceding 25.

“I think the was pleased with the way the guys bowled,” Powell said, following the game.

In the last 10 they scored around 70, 80, and whenever you do that you in for a victory and I think that what set up the game for us a batting unit,” he added.

“We wanted to win a little more comfortable but there is plenty of room for improvement.”

In the must-win encounter, Brooks both treated and horrified home fans with some spectacular stroke-play, which underpinned the Jamaica franchise’s sizeable innings score of 226 for 4.  Personally, the batsman piled on an unbeaten 109 off 52 balls his best-ever return for the format.

The total, which included 7 fours and 8 sixes was instrumental in the team’s win as they later managed to restrict the Warriors to 189, which sealed the Jamaica franchise's return to the final for the first time in four years.

“I had lunch with Brandon King and he was very upset with the way I got out in the last innings, on 47.  So, he told me I needed to take it all the way down regardless of what I think, that’s what I did and it paid off,” Brooks said.

“Imad Wasim coming in at the end, the partnership with Ravi, Raymond as well, the guys just kept telling me to keep working it, just keep playing cricket shots and as we always say in the dressing room to keep making love to the cricket ball.”

The Tallawahs will face the Barbados Royals in Friday's final.

In the end, it proved to be a reversed performance of sorts for Simmons, when considering the Knight Riders' previous Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign.  Last season, he started the competition well but went missing in the later rounds.  His 1 run against the Tridents, in the semi-finals, perhaps set the stage for the team's loss.

One season later, after a poor start to the competition, Simmons is free to bellow his redemption song.  His 54 from 44 in the semi-final and 84 from 49 in the final game, played a big role in the Knight Riders not only lifting the title but achieving a historic unbeaten season.

“Last year I did well in the prelims and when it came to the semi-finals, I didn’t get a score and we ended up losing the game.  So, I took the responsibility upon myself to make sure we got it over the line this time," Simmons said following the game.

“I did not start the tournament well, but I ended well, and I am happy with my performance,” he added.

Simmons finished the tournament as the top runs getter with a total of 356.

The home team won the toss and chose to field but it was their former player Colin Munro who was the star of the Saint Lucia Kings innings, scoring an unbeaten 72 runs to take the side to 167-3 after 20 overs.

The Knight Riders’ chase was headlined by a superb half century from Mark Deyal, alongside support from wicket-keeper Lorcan Tucker and Andre Russell, to take the side to a seven-wicket victory in their final game this season in front of their home crowd.

Saint Lucia Kings lost powerful opener Johnson Charles in the PowerPlay, as fast bowler Jayden Seales celebrated with a wicket on his birthday, but the Kings would rebuild as Colin Munro and Roston Chase patiently scored runs in their 76-run partnership, which came off 58 balls.

Chase was dismissed off a Waqar Salamkheil delivery and that was followed shortly afterwards with the big wicket of captain Sikandar Raza, who fell to Sunil Narine.  A late cameo from Sean Williams, who smashed 34 runs off 17 balls would see the Saint Lucia Kings score 58 runs in the last five overs to finish on 167-3.

Trinbago Knight Riders had an early scare as opener Martin Guptill was given out LBW from just the third ball of the innings but the decision was overturned on review.

Guptill eventually lost his wicket in the fourth over, and when Nicholas Pooran, leading run scorer for the franchise this season, lost his wicket in the final ball of the Powerplay to an Alzarri Joseph delivery, the Knight Riders looked in trouble at 45-2.

However, opener Mark Deyal would compose a brilliant half century, reaching 57 before being caught on the boundary by Peter Hatzoglou. Lorcan Tucker would provide invaluable support with 38 runs, before a flurry of boundaries from Andre Russell would ensure the Trinbago Knight Riders would win. 

CPL action now moves on to the final leg in Guyana, with the Guyana Amazon Warriors taking on the Jamaica Tallawahs on Wednesday evening.

Scores: Trinbago Knight Riders 169-3 (Deyal 57, Tucker 38; Joseph 2-42, Chase 1-25) beat Saint Lucia Kings 167-3 (Munro 72*, Williams 34*; Seales 1-23, Salamkheil 1-23) by 7 wickets

 Kieron Pollard countered Rayad Emrit’s decision to bat first by putting himself in at bat-pad for both Akeal Hosein and Sikandar Raza’s first overs. Chris Lynn did hit Hosein for a Hero Maximum over mid-on, but two balls later he failed to clear deep midwicket even with a favourable breeze and a short boundary. After three overs, the Patriots were 13/1.

Evin Lewis chewed up deliveries, still scoring at only three an over even after sweeping Hosein for six, and it was not a surprise when he hacked at Raza and gave keeper Tim Seifert an easy catch off the top-edge. Lewis faced 19 dot balls in his 24 ball innings and contributed to a Powerplay in which the Patriots stuttered to 27/2.

 Ben Dunk too fell to a top-edge, Pravin Tambe taking an outstanding catch at short-third man off his fellow leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed. Tambe got a wicket of his own, skidding one on to trap Joshua da Silva LBW, and Fawad trapped the promoted Imran Khan in a similar fashion for a duck. Emrit and Denesh Ramdin did at least break a run of four straight overs with a wicket falling, but at halfway the Patriots were 36/5, and every over had been bowled by spinners on a perfectly serviceable pitch.

Ramdin showed intent to resist, smashing Fawad for a flat Hero Maximum over the short leg-side boundary, but in between that and the previous boundary, the Patriots had lost 4/15 in 35 balls. Tambe’s third over went for just four, and in the 13th over the fit-again Ali Khan came on for the game’s first over of pace and struck third ball, Ramdin finding Darren Bravo on the long-on boundary. Tambe bowled out going for just one, leaving the Patriots 64/6 after 14.

 Anderson Phillip’s first over went for just two, and Fawad picked up two wickets in his last over to finish with his best ever Hero CPL figures. If Emrit was unlucky to edge onto pad and see the ball roll onto the stumps, Colin Archibald’s stumping was all due to Seifert’s poise waiting for the moment the foot lifted. Alzarri Joseph swung a Hero Maximum over Hosein’s head, but soon after picked out Phillip at long-off, and the Patriots were 75/9 off 17.

A leg bye took the Patriots past their lowest ever Hero CPL total, 75 away to the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2016, but Phillip soon put the innings out of its misery. It was the first innings in Hero CPL history where a team did not hit a single four.

Tion Webster, in contrast, hit two fours off Sheldon Cottrell in the first over of the chase. With Narine and Lendl Simmons rested, Amir Jangoo got another game and started calmly, not allowing many dot balls and giving the strike to the fluent Webster, who hit Imran for two more fours to take the Knight Riders to 27/0 off four overs. Jon-Russ Jaggesar was tight in both his overs, but Webster and Jangoo both hit Joseph for fours to take the Knight Riders to 42/0 off the Powerplay.

Webster was mostly content to hit through rather than over the field, but did launch Joseph onto the grass bank for a Hero Maximum to take the Knight Riders opening pair past 50 - remarkably, the first time they had done so for the first wicket all season - but Jangoo fell to Emrit next ball to end the stand at 54. Seifert joined Webster, and the Knight Riders coasted to 63/1 at halfway, needing just 15 more to win.

Seifert finished the innings in style with a Hero Maximum, consigning the Patriots to just three points from the group stage, and emulating last season’s perfect league stage from the Guyana Amazon Warriors to march undefeated into Tuesday’s semi-final against the Jamaica Tallawahs. A team with two world-class spinners and Andre Russell can never be discounted, but the Knight Riders machine will take some stopping.

Summary (Trinbago Knight Riders 78/1 (Webster 41*, Jangoo 19, Seifert 16*; Emrit 1/14) beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 77 all out (Ramdin 19, Emrit 15, Lewis 12; Fawad 4/21, Hosein 2/25, Phillip 1/3, Raza 1/6, Tambe 1/9, Ali Khan 1/10) by 9 wickets)

Upcoming Fixture: Sunday 6 September - Match 30: St Lucia Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs (2:15 pm), 1:15 in Jamaica at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

The Knight Riders crushed the inconsistent Jamaica Tallawahs by nine wickets in Tuesday’s semi-final match to claim a spot in the final and a shot at their fourth Hero CPL title.

Asked at a pre-final press conference on Wednesday whether winning 11 of 11, brings pressure or confidence, the TKR captain was unequivocal.

“Confidence, there is always pressure. Before you play the first game there is pressure, throughout the tournament, there is pressure as well,” he said.

“At the end of it, I’ve played in finals and it’s just another game because you have nothing to lose.

Four other teams would have liked to be in the position both teams are in…so it’s to go out and play good consistent cricket and at the end of the day the result will speak for itself.”

He believes TKR holds an advantage over St Lucia Zouks in that its players have been there before.

“One good thing is that we have guys who would have played in finals before, so we would be able to settle nerves over the ones who these things are new to,” he said.

He credits a change of attitude for the success the team has had so far this season, making adjustments from lessons learned last season when they were eliminated by eventual champions Barbados Tridents.

“We look forward to it, (the finals). Last year we were pretty disappointed to lose in the semi-finals and we made some changes and decided to come with a different sort of mentality this year and it has shown on the cricket field so it’s just a matter to jump the last hurdle and hopefully be four-time champions.”

TKR led by Lendl Simmons’ unbeaten 84 and Darren Bravo 58 not out steered their team to an emphatic eight-wicket win over the first-time finalist St Lucia Zouks.

Chasing 155 for victory, TKR lost two early wickets but Simmons and Bravo mounted a match-winning partnership of 138 that propelled the team to their 12^th win from 12 matches with 11 balls to spare.

TKR thus became the first team in CPL history to go undefeated for an entire season.

Pollard, who was named Hero of the Tournament, for his 204 runs and eight wickets, said the team used the disappointments of last season as fuel this season’s unprecedented success.

“Great, great feeling. We have worked really, really hard. When we sat in the dressing room last year, you could have seen the disappointment (after losing in the semi-finals),” he said.

“We had rigorous conversations and the mentality the guys came through even before the camp. This was destined to happen. They always wanted to improve every game.”

In the final, TKR was without their main strike bowler Sunil Narine - ruled out because of injury.

However, Pollard led by example, taking 4 for 30, a performance that went a long way in restricting the Zouks to 154 all out off 19.1 overs after they had got off to a strong start reaching 77 for 2 in the ninth over.

However, Pollard believes winning the title was a “total team effort.”

“We knew they (Zouks) were going to come hard, they had a lot of confidence from the semi-final, but that's where we used our experience. We knew in the team Bravo wasn't going to bowl but just having him in the field was a boost,” the winning captain said.

Throughout the tournament, pitch conditions were a concern. The surfaces were mostly spinner friendly but they also offered assistance to the faster bowlers. Meanwhile, many batsmen and by extension, teams struggled for runs.

However, Pollard said that they never allowed the conditions to determine how TKR played their cricket.

“We said we're not going to play the pitch or the conditions, we're going to play the round, white ball,” he said.

“We knew that each time we set up the game, we will finish well. We had the power in our line-up. Each and everyone who came in did their role. “The guys believed in what we wanted to achieve. It would have been brilliant if the fans were here but we know what's going on (the pandemic). We hope we entertained each and everyone.”

The back of enterprising play from Johnson Charles, the Tridents were fast out of the block after Holder’s decision to bat first.  Charles was able to take full advantage of some ordinary new-ball bowling from the Zouks.

He blasted the first ball of the match - a short one from the left-arm spinner Saad Bin Zafar - to the cover-point boundary, and then hammered a wildly inconsistent Obed McCoy for two fours and a six in the second over.

He was eventually dismissed for 35 off 19 in the fourth over, with his opening partner Shai Hope facing two balls and was yet to open his account.  St Lucia Zouks spinner Mohammad Nabi slowed down the team’s momentum with a typically shrewd spell of strangulating off-spin in stifling middle overs and a late burst of four wickets for 11 runs in 18 just balls completely undercut the team’s early promise.

“I think we had a really good start and fell away in the middle of the game.  In terms of the tempo we never kept wickets in hand,” Holder said, following the match.

“I love the intent.  I always tell the guys to show your intent and make sure you are positive right through the 20 overs.  More or less we need to be a little bit smarter and string together a few more partnerships or one and two guys going a little deeper into the innings.”

Patriots opener Evin Lewis smashed a brisk 89 from 60 balls, to anchor a runs chase that saw the St Kitts and Nevis-based franchise overhaul the Tridents total of 151 for 7, with three balls remaining.

Despite falling midway, the penultimate over, Lewis’ effort anchored the team’s innings, leaving it to Ben Dunk to eventually get the job done in the final over.

In their turn at the crease, the Tridents had several batsmen who got starts, among them, Corey Anderson (31), Shai Hope (29), and Ashley Nurse (25) but none went on to register a big total.  Holder believes that fact left the Barbados-based franchise a few runs short.

“In the end we were 5 to 10 runs short,” Holder said.

In T20 cricket you just want to keep up with the tempo.  It wasn’t an easy wicket to just come in and start hitting on.  More or less you have to spend time at the wicket,” he added.

“I think in these kinds of games it’s very important to have a set batter going very deep.  I think it makes a difference in terms of the score, as I said before it’s difficult for anyone to come in and just start hitting.  So, it’s very important to have a set batter at the end of the innings and we did not have one.”

With the Tallawahs now confirmed in fourth, they will play runaway Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) leaders the Trinbago Knight Riders in the semi-finals.

Santner’s first over went for just two, but Jermaine Blackwood, promoted to open, cut Joshua Bishop’s first ball for four. Holder brought himself on, and Blackwood carved him for four over the slips, taking the Tallawahs to 22 for 0 off four.

Rashid Khan conceded a boundary apiece to Blackwood and Phillips in an over that went for 11. Blackwood used his feet well to hit Bishop over long-on for the game’s first Hero Maximum, and the Tallawahs completed a good Powerplay at 44 for 0.

Ashley Nurse dropped a slip catch off Hayden Walsh Jr, reprieving Phillips on 14, but that reprieve lasted only three balls as Keon Harding, on Hero CPL debut, took a fine catch running in from the cover boundary. The Tallawahs had lost a little momentum to be 69 for 1 at halfway.

Rashid’s over went for just two, but Blackwood hit Harding’s first ball for six to bring up his first Hero CPL fifty. He uppercut a four in the same over and a Hero Maximum off Walsh, and while Asif Ali fell cutting Walsh to end another scratchy innings, that brought in Andre Russell with time to bat.

 Holder brought himself on, and was unlucky to see a Russell edge clear the keeper for four. There was no fortune in Russell’s pair of monstrous Hero Maximums off Walsh, and the Tallwahs surged to 112 for 2 off 15.

Santner bowled well to Russell, whose only boundary came via a misfield, and though Blackwood squeezed a four through point, Holder bowled him round his legs next ball. Russell smashed another Hero Maximum to finish the over, and the Tallawahs were well-set at 133 for 3 off 17.

Rashid returned for the death, and though Russell didn’t middle a pull he still got four. He absolutely middled it into the top tier two balls later, but Rashid was desperately unlucky next ball, a googly hitting the stumps and lighting up the bails but not knocking them off.

Russell inside-edged past the stumps off Holder, and entering the last over the Tallawahs were 153 for 3. Russell nearly cleared the roof to bring up his 50 off just 26 balls, but Rashid finally got his man, Russell stumped by yards. The promotion of Blackwood and Russell had got the Tallawahs to their highest total of Hero CPL 2020.

The recalled Oshane Thomas was too quick for Johnson Charles and bowled him off the inside edge, but the first over went for 17 including four wides and two fours by Jonathan Carter who was promoted to open. Left-arm seamer Preston McSween, on Hero CPL debut, also struck in his first over, bowling Shamarh Brooks with a beauty that swung and seamed back in.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s first over went for six, and where McScween’s first over was excellent, his second was poor. Holder started with a lovely Hero Maximum over long-on, and took four more fours off it to take the Tridents to 50 for 2 off four overs. Thomas and Carlos Brathwaite bowled tidily, but the Tridents finished the Powerplay at 61 for 2, their best of the tournament.

Mujeeb beat Holder on both edges, and the Tridents captain was lucky to bottom-edge between Phillips’ legs for four. Holder smashed a Brathwaite full toss for six to bring up his 50 off just 28 balls, and he and Carter worked Sandeep Lamichhane’s first over around for nine, but Thomas returned and went for just two. At halfway, the Tridents were 88 for 2.

Lamichhane beat Holder with a googly that somehow missed leg-stump in an over that went for only three. Holder bookended Mujeeb’s over with a Hero Maximum and a four, but when Lamichhane trapped Holder LBW with a googly the Tallawahs had a chance to re-assert themselves. After 13 overs, the Tridents were 108 for 3.

McSween returned but bowled a couple of wides and allowed Carter to hit two fours. Santner showed why he’d been promoted to five with a glorious straight six off Lamichhane, whose last over went for 10. Brathwaite’s over was tight, just three coming off it, and the Tridents entered the last four overs at 134 for 3, needing seven an over.

Santner steered Thomas square for four, and the equation dropped below a run a ball with a lucky edge past the stumps. Mujeeb’s final over seemed the last hope for the Tallawahs, but it was well negotiated for 10, and for the third game running the Afghan had gone wicketless.

Santner hit a four and a six, and despite Carter’s sluggish knock, the game was won with time to spare. With tactical changes seeing the Tridents record the highest successful chase of Hero CPL 2020, they were left wondering what might have been. The Tallawahs, meanwhile, will need to find some form tomorrow against the St Lucia Zouks before they face the formidable Knight Riders.''

Barbados Tridents 165/3 (J Holder 69, Carter 42*, Santner 35*; Lamichhane 1/26, Thomas 1/36, McSween 1/39) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 161/4 (Blackwood 74, Russell 54, Phillips 17; Bishop 1/30, Rashid 1/32, Walsh 1/34, J Holder 1/38) by 7 wickets

Walsh Jr showed up for the Tridents big time last season his 22 wickets, at an economy rate of 8.28, crucial for the Barbados franchise run to its second trophy.

 For the coming campaign, he will be joined by Khan, who last played in the CPL for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2017.  On that occasion, the bowler managed to pick up 14 wickets, including the tournament’s first-ever hat trick.

Holder was quick to admit that he was eager to see the duo bowl in tandem, as it could only mean good things for the team.

“We expect big things from them,” Holder told members of the media.

“Hayden was last year’s ‘player of the tournament’ and Rashid is a world-class leg-spinner. We expect big things from both of them, and they are looking forward to bowling in tandem. It is a matter for them to execute and lead the charge,” he added.

The tournament, which will take place in a bio-secure environment, will run from August 18 through to September 10.

 Sikandar Raza opened the bowling and turned his first ball sharply but his sixth went straight on to bowl Brandon King, and Khary Pierre deceived Chandrapaul Hemraj and Nicholas Pooran to leave the Amazon Warriors 12/3. Pollard sensed blood, putting himself under the helmet practically on the batter’s toes. 

Ross Taylor was positive, pulling Raza hard for four. Pollard almost pulled off a blinder at silly-point, just failing to hold as Taylor lunged forward off Pierre. But Taylor found Raza easier, cutting for four, slog-sweeping in trademark fashion for six, and paddle-sweeping for another four to take the Amazon Warriors to 39/3 off the Powerplay.

Fawad Ahmed troubled Hetmyer with his googly, but unlike many others, Hetmyer was able to find singles. Pollard brought himself on, but even someone with his experience couldn’t have expected what happened next.

Taylor took only a few strides before turning around, but keeper Tim Seifert was out of the blocks like a sprinter, got to the ball while taking off one glove, and in mid-air threw down one stump with Taylor still scrambling. It was a spectacular piece of work and left the Amazon Warriors 44/4 after 8 overs.

Fawad and Pollard hustled towards the drinks break. Seifert dropped Sherfane Rutherford on 1, but with the Amazon Warriors 51/4 at halfway Pollard was the happier captain. Fawad used the googly well to keep the 11th over quiet, and in the 12th on came yesterday’s history-maker, DJ Bravo, who also only went for singles

When Pierre returned, Rutherford launched into a slog-sweep, but then came more fielding magic. Tion Webster took the catch as it came over his shoulder, released the ball millimetres from the rope, and stopped his momentum in time to run back into the field of play and re-catch the ball. It was a masterpiece.

Colin Munro dropped a sitter to gift Hetmyer a Hero Maximum and deny Pierre a fourth wicket. But the reprieve didn’t last long - Hetmyer smashed DJ Bravo straight to cover to leave the Amazon Warriors 77/6 off 16. The lower order energised the innings - Keemo Paul punished Fawad for overpitching by launching him over the sightscreen, and Romario Shepherd sent a Bravo length ball out of the ground.

 A back spasm had forced Ali Khan out of the game early, but Pollard filled in well at the death to pick up his first wicket of Hero CPL 2020, Seifert diving to hold a steepling Shepherd top edge. Paul responded with a flat-bat six, but Bravo was as good as ever in the 20th, conceding just five and sending his team into the innings break strong favourites.

Amazon Warriors started well through Hemraj and captain Chris Green. But Lendl Simmons smashed Imran Tahir over midwicket for six, and Webster cut Hemraj for four then lofted a straight Hero Maximum. Green was forced to go to Naveen-ul-Haq, who spoiled an otherwise good over by gifting Simmons a four down the leg-side, and at 32/0 off five overs, the Knight Riders were comfortable.

Tahir did his best to change that. First, a googly ripped past Simmons’ slog, next ball a big leg-break did the same to Munro, and though Darren Bravo denied Tahir the hat-trick the Knight Riders needed to reset. 

Green and Paul were accurate, but Webster ended a run of 26 boundary-less balls by spanking a Hero Maximum. As a bonus, he drove Shepherd for four, and at halfway the Knight Riders were well-set at 51/2.

Captain Green ended Webster’s charge, with Hetmyer taking a smart low catch. Seifert was lucky not to be bowled at least once by Paul but found a gap at square leg to close the 12th over with a four.

Naveen returned and went for just four, and with two overs of Tahir looming Green invited the Knight Riders to attack Shepherd. Seifert and Bravo took the bait, and the over went for 13 to leave the Knight Riders needing 35 off 36 balls.

Green opted to only use one of Tahir’s overs, and it went for just two. A Paul over went boundary-less, and off Naveen Hetmyer very nearly outdid Webster’s earlier effort, leaping athletically to hold and release a Bravo loft before he hit the rope, but Green wasn’t quite close enough to take the release.

Bravo did however clear the ropes in that over as Naveen served him a juicy full toss, and Seifert went after the first ball of Tahir’s last over and hit it miles. With the pressure now off, the over went for 11, and Seifert sealed the win with two crunching fours.

He and Bravo had again finished what the bowlers had started, and the Knight Riders machine rolled on. It’s instructive, and worrying for the other five franchises, that once again Sunil Narine’s absence was hardly mentioned.

Summary (Trinbago Knight Riders 115/3 (Seifert 39*, Webster 27, DM Bravo 26*, Simmons 19; Tahir 2/25, Green 1/15) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 112/7 (Paul 28*, Taylor 26, Hetmyer 26; Pierre 3/18, Pollard 1/15, DJ Bravo 1/23, Raza 1/30) by 7 wickets)

Upcoming Fixture: Saturday 29 August - Match 17: Barbados Tridents v Trinbago Knight Riders (10 am), 9 am at Jamaica time Queen’s Park Oval

The tournament gets underway on 30 August and the three teams taking part are Trinbago Knight Riders, Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors. The teams will feature the best talent from across the Caribbean and some of the best international cricketers from around the world.

 “We are hugely excited to have an expanded WCPL schedule for 2023 and we are grateful to the government of Trinidad & Tobago for their support in helping to grow the tournament in 2023," said Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League.

"We are very much looking forward to seeing one of these three fantastic teams lift the WCPL trophy in Trinidad & Tobago on 10 September."

Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe believes hosting the final could not be more timely for the twin-island republic.

"Once again, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is pleased to partner with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as we get ready to host the final match of the 2023 Women’s CPL. The hosting of this game comes at an opportune time as it strategically aligns with the goal of the Ministry’s ongoing Pink Reign TT campaign, which speaks to promoting women and girls in sport," she said.

"This not only allows Trinidad and Tobago to showcase the true spirit of the Caribbean by bringing together cricket enthusiasts from around the world, but it also serves as a testament to the Government’s commitment to encourage women and girls to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. This year, we look forward to working hand in hand with CPL and other key stakeholders to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience for all participants and attendees."

The Tridents shuffled their batting order, Justin Greaves coming into the XI to open, but he lasted only one ball as he fell LBW trying to sweep Amazon Warriors captain Chris Green. Johnson Charles fell to a magnificent catch by Shimron Hetmyer who sprinted 25 yards and dived full length, sending the bowler Kevin Sinclair into another athletic celebration.

Jason Holder had only himself to blame for being run out by T20 debutant Kissoondath Magram, meaning the openers and captain had all fallen for 0. Shai Hope was shifted down to five but fell for another low score, chipping a catch back to Sinclair.

The Tridents, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, were 9 for 4 in the fourth over, and added just five more runs before the end of the Powerplay - the second lowest-scoring in Hero CPL history. Green bowled out with another maiden, Sinclair’s last over went for just three, and the Tridents were 17 for 4 after eight overs.

More poor calling saw the fifth wicket fall, as Jonathan Carter set off, was sent back by Kyle Mayers and was caught short of his ground by yards. Mayers followed Carter back to the dugout two balls later top-edging a pull, keeper Nicholas Pooran taking a brilliant catch running towards the boundary, and at halfway the Tridents were a staggering 22 for 6.

Tahir’s second over was survived, but in the next over Naveen and the Amazon Warriors picked up two more. First Ashley Nurse pulled straight to Romario Shepherd at deep square leg, then Raymon Reifer looped the ball up to Pooran off his glove while playing forward, leaving the Tridents 27 for 8 after 12.

Mitchell Santner finally hit the Tridents’ first boundaries, swinging Tahir for a Hero Maximum then straight driving for four. Santner then lofted Magram for a Hero Maximum to take the Tridents past the lowest score in Hero CPL history - 53 all out back in 2013 by the Trinidad franchise. Rashid Khan slapped two sixes off Keemo Paul, but Rashid fell trying to slice Naveen over the off-side, Sinclair taking a good catch at deep cover.

Naveen finished with venue-record T20 figures, and the Tridents were 79 for 9 off 18. Hayden Walsh Jr slapped a four off Paul, and while Santner was run out off the last ball, they and Rashid had at least ensured the Tridents had batted the whole innings and got a recognisable T20 total - the same total they failed to chase against the St Lucia Zouks at Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday.

Holder had two slips in place for his first over, a maiden to Brandon King.  Santner got some drift, almost swing, with his arm-ball, but dropped short enough for King to crash a cut for four. Holder finally conceded his first run off his 11th ball via a Sinclair edge and Santner’s second went for just one.

Holder attacked with Rashid in the Powerplay, and while the Afghan fired five wides, he beat Sinclair all ends up and knocked back his off-stump.  Hetmyer was lucky to inside-edge for four past the stumps first ball, and to see a pull-off Holder fall just short of Santner at mid-on, but King lofted the last ball of Holder’s over over long leg for a Hero Maximum to take the Amazon Warriors to 31 for 1 off the Powerplay.

Hetmyer fell to Walsh to continue his run of low scores, beaten through the gate, and with Pooran in early off the back of his brilliant century against the Patriots, Holder attacked with his wrist-spinners in tandem. King was lucky to survive a wild swipe off Walsh, but the wrist-spin attack was just about seen off and King cashed in by cutting Nurse for four. At halfway, the Amazon Warriors were 52 for 2.

First ball after the break, King hammered a flat Hero Maximum off Holder and the over went for 10. Nurse was nudged around, but King had started to find his feet and whipped Rashid hard for four to take the Amazon Warriors to 72 for 2 off 13. King took his score to 40 and his strike rate over 100 with an inventive flick off the stumps over short fine leg for four, and Santner was milked for six to take the required runs under double figures.

Walsh dropped a tough diving catch to deny Rashid a second wicket, but King was able to bring up his first 50 of the season with the score-levelling stroke. Pooran nudged the run that confirmed a win that hadn’t looked in doubt for the majority of the 36.4 overs bowled tonight and ensured that Hero CPL 2020 lightning would not strike twice.

Hetmyer blasted an enterprising 56 from 35 balls in a low-scoring encounter as the Warriors eased past the St Lucia Zouks book their place in the competition’s semi-finals.  The win was the fifth but third in a row for the Guyana based franchise.

The team won two of its first three matches but then struggled to keep momentum after losing the next three games in a row.  Hetmyer, however, believes the team’s latest win shows full confidence is growing within the squad following its latest win.

“The guys are starting to work much harder than before and starting to believe in ourselves a little more each and every day.  From here on out its just us taking it one game at a time,” Hetmyer said.

Personally, his individual performance would also have been pleasing for Hetmyer who failed to get into double digits in the last three games with scores of 9 and 1.

“It’s coming back I thought I lost it a few years ago, but I’m working on it and trying to stay a little bit more focused on my game and how to start, build and finish and innings.”

After a Powerplay charge, the Amazon Warriors lost 10/62 as Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Sandeep Lamichhane ran riot. But last year’s finalists roared back with the ball to take bursts of 3/4 and 4/25, leaving the Tallawahs needing 60 from the last 4 overs, from which position even Russell at his most devastating wasn’t enough.

After Tallawahs captain Rovman Powell elected to bowl, Fidel Edwards generated significant swing, but Oshane Thomas was wayward and Brandon King punished him mercilessly. The fact that one of his Hero Maximums was off a no-ball because too many fielders were behind square on the leg-side added insult to injury. Thomas was not seen again with the ball.

Chandrapaul Hemraj was quick to pounce on anything short from either Mujeeb or Russell, and with King continuing to time the ball sweetly, the Amazon Warriors raced to 56/0. All seemed to be going swimmingly.

But Mujeeb sparked a remarkable turnaround. First, a ball skidded past King’s sweep, then next ball the in-form Shimron Hetmyer was done by a quicker off-spinner. When Hemraj steered the first ball after the Powerplay to the fielder at point, the Amazon Warriors had slumped from 56/0 to 57/3 inside four balls.

That became 67/4 when Nicholas Pooran tried to cut Mujeeb and edged behind. Sensing an opportunity Powell went on the attack, introducing Lamichhane and keeping a slip in. So panicked were the Amazon Warriors that Sherfane Rutherford came out with two left gloves.

Lamichhane did not disappoint. His first over was tight, and in his second his googly spun big to leave Rutherford only able to give Mujeeb a second catch at point. Ross Taylor found himself fighting a lone hand, and the Amazon Warriors found themselves in a hole at 85/5 after 12 overs.

That hole got deeper still. Keemo Paul skied to Phillips trying to pull Carlos Brathwaite’s third ball, Amazon Warriors skipper Chris Green lost his leg-stump to Lamichhane, and eventually, Taylor clipped Brathwaite straight to deep midwicket to leave the Amazon Warriors 99/8 after 16 overs.

Naveen-ul-Haq showed a deft touch, but debutant Ashmead Nedd couldn’t stay with him as he was farcically run out. Naveen tried to hit out but gave mid-off a simple catch to give Brathwaite a third wicket and put the final nail in the coffin - or so it seemed.

At the start of the chase, Green sparked panic with a pair of LBWs, removing Chadwick Walton with the first ball of the innings and ending Nkrumah Bonner’s first Hero CPL game since 2016 shortly after, courtesy of a bad decision from the usually reliable Brathwaite. Imran Tahir got a rare outing in the Powerplay and threatened immediately with a maiden.
Nedd’s debut may not have gone well with the bat, but the first ball of his T20 career removed Glenn Phillips. Asif Ali joined captain Powell in the fourth over with the score 4/3, and though he was beaten with his first two balls he got off the mark with a commanding cut shot.

The Amazon Warriors bowled, fielded and appealed as though angered by their own batting, and the intensity didn’t let up after the Powerplay. Naveen let rip some whole-hearted LBW appeals, Nedd got bounce and sharp turn, and Paul hit Powell on the helmet with his first ball.
While Asif was dropped at long leg by Nedd, he would not get a second life. Hetmyer held his nerve at long-on and sent the Tallawahs to the drinks break reeling. Naveen kept the pressure on, and Nedd was unplayable at times. At 41/4 after 12, the Tallawahs had to confront the possibility of losing an unlosable game, and that became even more real when Brathwaite was bowled by Paul.

Nedd finished a remarkable debut with four dot balls to Russell, and the Tallawahs now needed 69 from the last six overs before Powell clubbed Naveen down Green’s throat to leave Russell still to get off the mark and batting with the tail.

Russell finally hit his first Hero Maximum of the tournament off Imran Tahir, who returned to trap Lamichhane LBW for a duck. When Russell took the 17th over for 11 runs, the 18th for 17, and the first two balls of the 19th for 10, it looked like he was going to win yet another game single-handedly.
But Naveen responded with four dot balls in a row, and crucially kept Russell off strike for the last over.

Paul’s execution was perfect, and though Russell battered a Hero Maximum onto the roof to bring up 50 it was too late. Both sides will be wondering what happened after 39.1 overs that defied logic.