Narine, Webster lead TKR to 2nd victory

A BRILLIANT all round performance from Sunil Narine and a half century from youngster Tion Webster led Trinbago Knight Riders to their second consecutive win to start the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 Tournament, on Friday night.

After defeating St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 11 runs on Wednesday, TKR got past Jamaica Tallawahs by 22 runs.

After Lendl Simmons was bowled for 11 by Christopher Lamont, Webster and Narine put on 74 for the second wicket in blistering time. Narine, who has been struggling for TKR at the top of the order, went on a rampage especially against the Tallawahs pacers. Narine got  TKR to 50 after 3.5 overs when he struck fast bowler Oshane Thomas for a six over cover. Tallawahs bowled a number of wides adding to the TKR lightning start.

Narine fell for 46 off 22 deliveries when he was caught at long on.  Jimmy Neesham's stay at the crease was brief as he was caught and bowled by spinner Steven Jacobs for six. At drinks TKR were 93/3 after 9.3 overs.

Opener Webster, who was willing to support Narine, entertained the sell out crowd with a six, followed by back to back fours off fast bowler Shamar Springer to push TKR past 100. Jacobs turned from hero to villain when he dropped a fairly simple catch at fine leg to give Denesh Ramdin a chance. After Ramdin was bowled for 21 by Andre Russell, the Tallawahs bowled a few tight overs that brought them back in the match.

Pollard did not have the same fluency he showed on Wednesday night, but he still managed 33 not out off 21 balls with four fours. Webster closed on a top score of 66 not out off 49 deliveries that included seven fours and two sixes to help TKR to 191/4 after 20 overs. The youngster grabbing the opportunity to play in the absence of batsmen Colin Munro, Darren Bravo and Dwayne Bravo.

Jacobs was the pick of the bowlers with 1/14 from two overs.

Tallawahs got off to a slow start progressing to 31/1 after five overs after Narine bowled Glenn Phillips for six.

Chris Gayle, returning to the Tallawahs this season, after a few massive sixes fell for 28 caught by substitute fielder Akeal Hosein for 28 on a second attempt at deep mid wicket.

Tallawahs sunk to 44/3 in the eighth over when leg spinner Seekkuge Prasanna got the wicket of Rovman Powell caught at deep mid wicket by Khary Pierre.

Spinners Pierre and Prasanna stifled the Tallawahs batsmen bowling in tandem as after nine overs they were 51/3 with the required run rate almost 13 runs an over.

Chadwick Walton gave his team a boost with a six and two fours in one over off Neesham to get Tallawahs to 83/3 after 12 overs. Neesham redeemed himself taking a catch at  long on to dismiss Walton for 28 as Narine grabbed another.

Russell, who suffered an injury during the TKR innings, tried to propel his team to the target but he could not get the job done. Russell was caught for 44 off 24 balls in the last over and George Worker ended on 46 not out as Tallawahs closed on 169/6. Narine and Neesham snatched 2/23 and 2/27 respectively in their four overs.