Defending champs crushed: 'TRI' dented

JOEL BAILEY (in Barbados)

FUELLED by pre-match speculation that their team was soft and weak, the Barbados Tridents earned a vital 63-run win over two-time Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Trinbago Knight Riders, at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown tonight. Spurred on by a century opening stand between Johnson Charles (58) and Jonathan Carter (51) and a swashbuckling innings of 65 from retired South African all-rounder Jean-Paul Duminy, the Tridents amassed their highest total of the 2019 competition – 192 runs for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Antiguan-born leg-spinner Hayden Walsh had the first five-wicket haul of the season – 5/19, including three scalps in an over, as the TKR saw their win-less run extended to three games, when they were bowled out for 129 in 17.4 overs. This result saw the TKR remain in second spot with nine points, with the Tridents, who won at home for the first time in nine attempts, leaping over St Lucia Zouks to fourth spot with six points. The Tridents, who won the toss and decided to bat, sprung a surprise with Carter promoted to open with Charles. Both played with freedom they hardly showed during this year’s tournament, as they reached 110 in 13.5 overs before the left-handed Carter spooned a catch to Colin Munro, running in from deep midwicket, off off-spinner Sunil Narine – TKR’s lone change for the game, in place of left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. Charles departed in the next over, lofting left-armer Khary Pierre to Kieron Pollard at long-off, and Alex Hales, demoted to number four, was sent packing for one.

Ashley Nurse, sent in as a pinch-hitter, was merely a bystander as Duminy went on an assault on out-of-form fast bowler Ali Khan and New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham, as the pair went for 48 in the 18th and 19th overs combined. Duminy, adjudged Man of the Match, only faced 20 balls and lashed seven sixes and four fours.TKR skipper Pollard, with his medium pace, removed Duminy and his opposite number Jason Holder (duck) in the final over – Pollard took great pride as he ushered the Tridents captain back to the pavilion. Narine was back to open with Simmons, but his typical brief innings (19 off nine balls) was ended when Holder removed his middle stumps. English left-arm pacer Harry Gurney had Simmons (11) cutting to Walsh at gully, and Duminy produced an outstanding running catch, to his left from long-on, to end Munro’s knock of 23 off 13 balls.

Walsh, inserted in the starting 11 as Nepalese Sandeep Lamichhane had to return home, then turned the game on its head.The leg-spinner got rid of Denesh Ramdin (11) who missed a sweep. In the 11th over, Walsh tossed up one to Pollard, who skied it to Holder at long-off – Holder ran almost 60 metres to ensure Pollard saw him during his walk back to the pavilion.

Neesham prodded the next ball to slip and, two balls later, Seekkuge Prasanna pulled one to deep midwicket.Darren Bravo made 28 before skying one to substitute Leniko Boucher at gully, and Duminy wrapped up proceedings to finish with 2/24.

The TKR will return home to entertain runaway leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors (14 points) on Monday, while the Tridents will host St Kitts/Nevis Patriots on Saturday. Tomorrow, the Zouks will host the Jamaica Tallawahs at the Darren Sammy Stadium from 8 pm.