Roshon Primus

The Saint Lucia Kings reclaimed top spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a dominant 90-run victory over the Barbados Royals at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

The Royals won the toss and opted to field first, but they were to run into Johnson Charles in imperious form. The opener blasted 78 and contributions at the back end saw the Kings post a healthy 195-6.

In reply, the Royals chase was over before it began as they lost the top five batters inside the PowerPlay. They never recovered from that huge setback and were eventually all out for 105.

Scores: St Lucia Kings 195-6 (20 overs); Barbados Royals 105 all out (17.3 overs)

The Kings got their innings off to a tremendous start led by the power of Johnson Charles.

Having reached 69/0 at the end of the PowerPlay the foundation was set for a huge total, and they were able to reach 97 before the loss of their first wicket, Colin Munro holing out to the deep square boundary for 33.

Sean Williams stay at the crease was a brief one but at the other end Charles continued to make hay. Only when Jason Holder returned in the 16^th over did the Kings momentum get momentarily halted. Two wickets in the over saw the departure of Shadrack Descarte and Charles himself for 78.

However, quick-fire contributions at the death from Roshon Primus, Sikander Raza and Roston Chase ensured the Kings set an imposing total. 

The Royals never got to grips with the chase and were effectively out of the contest by the end of the PowerPlay.

Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde and Roshon Primus were destroyers in chief as they ran through the top five batters to leave the Royals 40/5 at the end of the first six overs.

Despite a few big hits from the lower middle order the Royals suffered without a firm base to build from and eventually folded for 105 all out.

The victory for the Kings sent them back to the top of the table, while Barbados Royals will look to bounce back against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the last game of their home leg on Sunday at 6:00pm Jamaica time. Prior to that, Jamaica Tallawahs will battle Trinbago Knight Riders at 8:00am, while Barbados Royals women will lock horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors women at 1:30pm.

Pooran hit five fours and eight sixes in his 111 that came from just 82 balls and was instrumental in getting the Red Force to 312-6, the highest score in the competition this season.

Chasing 313 for victory, Barbados were restricted to 302-8 despite an incredibly valiant 130 not out from 79 balls by Roshon Primus, his highest List A score.

The Pride were in early trouble at 13-2 in the fourth over after Shannon Gabriel had Zachary McCaskie caught at slip for one before returning to bowl Kyle Hope for four. The Pride slipped into further trouble at 45-3 when Sunil Narine had Shai Hope caught behind for 24.

Johnathan Carter and Nicholas Kirton got Barbados back on track with a 63-run partnership that got them to 108 when Shannon Gabriel picked up his third wicket, having Carter caught at deep backward point by Jason Mohammed for 45.

Kirton did not last much longer.

Fourteen balls and 10 runs later, he was caught by Narine off the bowling of Yanick Cariah for 35 leaving Barbados sinking fast at 118-5, still 195 runs behind.

When Shamar Springer was trapped lbw by Imran Khan for five, all seemed lost for Barbados, who at this point were 146-6.

However, Roshon Primus and Akeem Jordan were not ready to give up. Together they put together a run-a-ball 93 runs for the seventh wicket before things unraveled for Barbados for the final time. Jordan was run out off the first ball of Gabriel's eighth over for 33. Gabriel then picked up his fourth wicket next ball when he bowled Jomel Warrican for a duck and suddenly Barbados, who were 239-6 had slipped to 239-8.

Primus continued to resist. Consecutive sixes and a boundary in the 45th over bowled by Terrance Hinds brought Primus his maiden List A century from just 61 balls.

With 17 needed from the final over being bowled by Shannon Gabriel, Primus hit the first ball for four but three dot balls followed, meaning Barbados needed 13 from two deliveries. Primus took two from the fifth and the match was over. Primus' unbeaten knock included 10 fours and nine sixes and with Camarie Boyce (13 not), he put on 63 for the ninth wicket but it was simply not enough.

Shannon Gabriel was the best of the Red Force bowlers finishing with 4-43.

 Batting first, T&T Red Force were in early trouble losing two wickets inside three overs after Akeem Jordan dismissed Kjorn Ottley for one and Jason Mohammed for a duck with consecutive deliveries. The early dismissals brought Jangoo and Bravo together and they put on 92 for the third wicket before Bravo was caught at fine leg by Jomel Warrican off the bowling of Springer for 54 in the 24^th over.

His dismissal brought Pooran to the crease and he immediately went after the bowling playing some injudicious shots and was fortunate not be dismissed early on. However, as he settled into his innings, he pummeled the bowling racing to 50 in just 41 balls. He put on 147 with Jangoo before the latter was caught by Jordan off Springer for 81 in the 44^th over. Pooran was eventually dismissed in the 46^th trying to hit Springer for six.

With the score 256-5, 300 looked on the cards and the Red Force duly obliged thanks to a sparkling cameo from Akeal Hosein who smashed 42 from just 20 deliveries. He hit three fours and three sixes in a 53-run sixth-wicket stand with Terrance Hinds before he was caught by Jordan off Springer in the final over.

Hinds was not out on nine and Sunil Narine on two at the end.

Springer finished with 4-64 from nine overs while Jordan returned figures of 2-31 from his allotment of 10 overs.

The Kings took first strike after the Tallawahs won the toss and elected to field first, making 109-5 from their 10 overs thanks to a 25-ball 48 from Roshon Primus and 32 from Johnson Charles.

Joshua James took 2-25 from his two overs for the Tallawahs.

Despite fighting innings from Amir Jangoo (44) and captain Rovman Powell (34), the Tallawahs fell narrowly short of their target finishing 101-4 off their 10 overs for their first loss of the tournament.

New Zealander Scott Kuggelijn led the way with the ball for the Kings with 2-18 from his two overs.

Saturday’s other Men’s games will see the Barbados Royals tackle the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots facing the Trinbago Knight Riders. Barbados Royals will face Guyana Amazon Warriors in the lone Women’s encounter.

Kyle Mayers was the first pick of the draft, joining the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. He will be joined at the Patriots by Mikyle Louis, Ryan John and Veerasammy Permaul. 

The Saint Lucia Kings welcome USA international Aaron Jones who qualifies to play at the CPL as a local player as he has a Barbados passport. The Kings have also selected Khari Campbell, Johann Jeremiah, Mikkel Govia and Akeem Auguste. 

The Barbados Royals have picked Kadeem Alleyne, Isai Thorne and Nathan Sealy to complete their squad while the Guyana Amazon Warriors have selected all-rounders Raymon Reifer and Ronaldo Alimohamed. Matthew Nandu also rejoins the Warriors having been selected in the draft. 

The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons picked five players at the draft with Roshon Primus, Justin Greaves, Jahmar Hamilton, Teddy Bishop and Kofi James joining the newest CPL team. The Trinbago Knight Riders selected Nathan Edward and Shaquere Parris in their emerging player spots.

The 2024 season gets underway on the 29 August with the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons taking on the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. The tournament will also visit St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana. 

The full squads are as follows:

Barbados Royals: Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, David Miller, Quinton De Kock, Maheesh Theekshana, Alick Athanaze, Naveen-ul-Haq, Obed McCoy, Kevin Wickham, Keshav Maharaj, Kadeem Alleyne, Rahkeem Cornwall, Isai Thorne, Nathan Sealy, Nyeem Young, Rivaldo Clarke, Ramon Simmonds

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Imran Tahir, Shimron Hetmyer, Saim Ayub, Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd, Azam Khan, Gudakesh Motie, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Kevin Sinclair, Raymon Reifer, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Shamar Joseph, Kevlon Anderson, Matthew Nandu, Junior Sinclair

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons: Imad Wasim, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Amir, Chris Green, Fakhar Zaman, Roshon Primus, Justin Greaves, Hayden Walsh, Jahmar Hamilton, Teddy Bishop, Kofi James, Shamar Springer, Kelvin Pitman, Jewel Andrew, Joshua James

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Kyle Mayers, Wanindu Hasaranga, Rilee Rossouw, Sherfane Rutherford, Evin Lewis, Sikandar Raza, Nuwan Thushara, Andre Fletcher, Tristan Stubbs, Dominic Drakes, Odean Smith, Mikyle Louis, Joshua Da Silva, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan John, Ashmead Nedd, Johann Layne

Saint Lucia Kings: Heinrich Klaasen, Faf Du Plessis, Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Noor Ahmad, David Wiese, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Matthew Forde, Aaron Jones, Khary Pierre, Khari Campbell, Johann Jeremiah, Shadrack Descarte, Mikkel Govia, McKenny Clarke, Akeem Auguste

Trinbago Knight Riders: Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Tim David, Akeal Hosein, Jason Roy, Dwayne Bravo, Josh Little, Waqar Salamkheil, Jayden Seales, Ali Khan, Mark Deyal, Keacy Carty, Terrence Hinds, Nathan Edward, Shaquere Parris

Charles and Joseph are joined by Barbadian middle-order batsman Roston Chase, Roshon Primus, Jeavor Royal, Matthew Forde and McKenny Clarke. The Kings have also secured the services of Khary Pierre who has been transferred to the team from the Trinbago Knight Riders.

The tournament gets underway on 16 August with the final taking place on 24 September. There will be matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

The overseas players and draft picks will be announced during the Republic Bank CPL draft show which will be broadcast at the end of June 2023.

Volcanoes, who were always in control of the contest from Wednesday’s first day, wrapped up victory by easily knocking off the 18 runs set by Barbados Pride, whose dismal second innings batting display, which resumed at 72-4, ended at 126.

Volcanoes seamers Shemar Springer and Ryan John again did the damage to set up the victory.

Springer took 4-44, to end with match figures of 6-105, after taking 2-61 in the first innings, while John, who had 4-47 in the first innings, snared 3-28, to end with match figures of 7-75. The in-form John now has 13-139 across the first two games, after match figures of 6-64 against Jamaica Scorpions.

Pride, who initially posted 214 batting first, started the day 39 runs behind, after Volcanoes replied to their first innings total with what turned out to be a match-winning 325.

Scores: Barbados Pride 214 & 126; Windward Islands Volcanoes 325 & 18-1 (3.5 overs)

Resuming their second innings on 72-4 with the likes of Kevin Wickham, who made 74 in the first innings, and others to come, Barbados Pride would have fancied their chances to possibly post something that would challenge the opponents. However, it was not to be, as the innings ended just as it started –in shambles.

Akeem Jordan added only 11 runs to his overnight score of four, while Wickham and the other batsmen, all failed to get into double figures, as Springer and John shared the remaining six wickets. Roshon Primus was the only exception, as he ended unbeaten on 25 off 26 balls.

Set only 18 to win, the Volcanoes unfortunately lost Kimani Melius (four) to the run-out route, but Jeremy Solozano, not out on 13, and Johann Jeremiah, with a solitary run, saw them across the line with minimum fuss.