Fans around the world were treated to a high scoring encounter on September 5 at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium, as the Trinbago Knight Riders continued their unbeaten start to CPL 2020 with a win over St.Lucia Zouks. A late cameo in the first innings from Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo turned out to be the difference between the two sides, as the Zouks succumbed to their fourth defeat of the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League.
After opting to bowl first, the Zouks started off brightly, giving away just six runs off the first two overs. Trinbago Knight Riders opener Lendl Simmons switched gears shortly after, getting a flat six on the leg side off Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi pacer however had the last laugh as the 35-year-old was out caught behind later that same over.
New man Tim Seifert though ensured that there was no fluctuation in the scoring rate, getting a flurry of boundaries in the powerplay. The keeper batsman got two fours off Roston Chase’s first over, getting a reverse sweep and a paddle sweep to push the score to 47/1 after six.
Afghani mystery spinner Zahir Khan bowled the first over post the powerplay, and was welcomed with a six on the leg side by Tion Webster. The opening batsmen however couldn’t capitalize on that, as he was outfoxed by a wrong one that hit off stump. Darren Bravo joined Seifert in the middle, and the two played out the next few minutes cautiously, adding 33 runs off the next five overs.
Zouks skipper Daren Sammy introduced himself into the attack for the first time in CPL 2020, and the gamble paid off as the medium pacer sent Seifert packing in his very first over. The wicket brought TKR skipper Kieron Pollard to the crease, and the veteran batsman wasted little time, getting a four and a six to push the team score to 121/3 after 16.
With wickets in hand, the 33-year-old could go for the jugular in the slog overs, and freed his arms to get two fours and two sixes in the next few overs. Bravo too joined the party with a spectacular one-handed six off Kesrick Williams’ penultimate over.
Pollard was eventually dismissed in the 19th over, getting a faint edge that found its way to the keeper. Nevertheless, the damage was done as the Trinbago Knight Riders added 54 runs in the last four overs to set a daunting target of 176 for the Zouks.
Second Innings
The three-time champions started off with spin from both ends, and Zouks openers Kimani Melius and Mark Deyal found the going difficult, adding just eight runs off the first three overs. The maiden boundary of the innings came in the fourth over, courtesy of a switch hit from Deyal. The Zouks however struggled to get a move on in the powerplay, ending it with a meagre score of 26/1, with Melius back in the hut.
Andre Fletcher joined Deyal in the middle, and the two began upping the ante post the powerplay, with a four and a six off Fawad Ahmed’s first over. The duo added 37 in the 3.4 overs post the powerplay, before rain interrupted play.
The chasing team came out all guns blazing after the showers passed, getting a four and a six. Deyal however couldn’t keep the charge going, as his attempted heave towards the longer boundary fell kindly to the fielder in the deep.
New man Nabi added further impetus to the chase, getting a massive six on the leg side off Dwayne Bravo’s bowling. Fletcher ably supported him with a big six of his own soon after, but tried replicating the shot yet again, only to find the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Despite the loss of wickets, the Zouks were still in the contest as the game meandered on, with them needing 65 off the last five overs.
Nabi started off the 16th over with a big six straight down the ground, but like his predecessors, could not build on that momentum, miscuing his shot later in the over to walk back to the pavilion. Najibullah Zadran too was dismissed shortly after, dragging a slower one from Bravo back onto his stumps, putting the three-time champions in pole position of the game.
With two new players in Sammy and Kuggeleijn in the middle, the Zouks struggled to find their timing as the run rate kept climbing with every passing delivery. Dwayne Bravo then bowled an exceptional penultimate over, conceding just four runs to all but render the Zouks out of the contest.
Needing 33 off the last, Sammy hit the first ball for six but was caught by the fielder in the deep while trying to replicate a similar shot. Kuggeleijn too followed his skipper back in the hut a few balls later, as the Zouks ended up losing the contest by 23 runs.
St.Lucia Zouks play their final group game against Jamaica Tallawahs on Sunday, September 6.
Brief Scorecard
Trinbago Knight Riders: 175/5, 20 overs (Darren Bravo 50, Scott Kuggeleijn 2/35)
Beat
St.Lucia Zouks: 152/7, 20 overs (Andre Fletcher 42, Kieron Pollard 3/35)
