– Warriors and Tallawahs in action today from 10:00h
By Brandon Corlette
Barbados Royals have defeated St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by six wickets in match 10 of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). More than 390 runs were scored in a run-fest between the two teams at Warner Park in St Kitts.
Patriots, batting first, posted 197-6 in their allotted 20 overs on the back of Andre Fletcher’s half-century, while Royals ended victorious on 200-4 in 18.3 overs. Rovman Powell scored an unbeaten 67 from 29 balls to lead his side to the second highest successful chase in CPL history.
In the chase of 198, Rahkeem Cornwall got off to a blistering start. He took down Ashmead Nedd for 16 in the first over, but his dangerous presence at the crease was short-lived, and he departed after scoring 38 from 15 balls, which included four sixes and three fours.
However, he had given Royals the perfect start, and Kyle Mayers continued to stand tall, being joined by Jason Holder, with whom he took the Royals’ score to 74-1 in the powerplay, their highest in the history of CPL.
Nedd returned to the bowling attack and created chances. He sent back Mayers for 31 one ball after he was dropped, and one ball thereafter, he found Alick Athanze wanting when he was dropped on zero.
After 10 overs, Royals were poised to chase the target on 105-2, requiring 93 from 60 balls. Bosch continued his good day at the office, bowling with steam to remove Holder (24) with a short-ball when the score was at 109-3 in 11.1 overs.
Captain Rovman Powell and Athanaze (30) made light work of the chase in the final stages, adding 74 runs to the tally. Powell’s fifty was slammed in 21 balls, and was the fastest this season as the Royals rumbled. The big Jamaican scored 67 from 29, slamming five sixes and five fours.
Earlier, Barbados Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first. Guyanese Nedd was in the Patriots team for the first time this season, while Alick Athanaze was the notable change for the Royals. Patriots’ openers Andre Fletcher and Evin Lewis (08) added 42 runs in 3.4 overs for the opening stand.
Fletcher was elegant and equally aggressive with his strokeplay, as he led Patriots to a commanding powerplay score of 56-2. Joshua Da Silva ran himself out for five on the penultimate ball of the sixth over, but Sherfane Rutherford joined Fletcher, and the duo motored along, Rutherford getting off the mark with a maximum off Rahkeem Cornwall.
At the half-way stage, Patriots were standing firm with the score on 88-2. Rutherford had already struck two sixes in his 21 at that stage, while Fletcher was shy of a 50. But after the break, Royals kept things tight, and Rutherford played a loose shot and was caught and bowled for 28, with the score at 95-3 after 11.3 overs.
Fletcher reached his 14th CPL 50 in 36 balls, but was removed two balls later by leg-spinner Qais Ahmad with the score at 99-4 in 12.4 overs. Fletcher struck five fours and three sixes in his classy knock.
Dominic Drakes then found his championship winning form of the past, as did Corbin Bosch. The duo added 54 runs in quick time to propel Patriots to a massive total of 197-6 in 20 overs. Young, bowling the last over, saw it contribute 34 runs to the tally, being the most expensive over in the history of CPL.
Bosch ended unbeaten on 38 from 12 balls, which had three sixes and four fours. Drakes made 20 from 14 balls. Ahmad was the star with the ball, claiming 2-16 from four overs.
The tournament will continue today, Sunday August 27, with two matches. Guyana Amazon Warriors will play Jamaica Tallawahs from 10:00h, and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will play Trinbago Knight Riders from 19:00h Eastern Caribbean Time at Warner Park St Kitts. (GTimes)