Narine propels TKR to win in CPL opener

SUNIL Narine, who was frustrated by a finger injury during the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League, delivered a top performance on Tuesday to propel Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to a four-wicket win over Guyana Amazon Warriors in the opening match of the 2020 Hero CPL. He led from the front with both bat and ball.

Narine, who missed five matches during last year's campaign due to his finger, first grabbed two for 19 in four overs as Amazon Warriors scored 144 for five in 17 overs batting first. The match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba was scheduled to bowl off at 10 am, but due to rain, the match bowled off at 11.35 am.

Narine, who has been opening for TKR for several years with limited success, came to the party with a knock of 50 as TKR got to 147/6 in 16.4 overs. The left-hander cracked two fours and four sixes. For the Amazon Warriors, it was unfamiliar start after winning all ten preliminary matches in 2019.

It was a pedestrian start by TKR in its run chase getting to seven without loss after two overs with Narine and Lendl Simmons in the middle.

Simmons settled down and played a couple of shots, but he was caught by Imran Tahir at short fine leg trying to pull a delivery from outside off stump to give Naveen-ul-Haq the wicket.

Narine played with his usual aggression, as he struck spinner Chris Green for six over mid-wicket that just cleared the boundary. Colin Munro seemed to feel left out as he also hit Green for six over mid-wicket that easily cleared the rope. TKR were now in a comfortable position on 45/1 after six overs.

Munro, a key member of TKR for years, was well caught for 17 by Brandon King at mid-wicket to give fast bowler Romario Shepherd the wicket as TKR slumped to 56/2 after 6.4 overs.

Narine continued to attack the bowlers as he lashed spinner Imran Tahir for a straight four and in the same over belted a six over long-off as TKR progressed to 81/2 after nine overs at the innings break. Narine was now 35 and with him was Darren Bravo on five.

There were no fans at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy to see the fireworks by Narine as he struck Shepherd for two sixes in one over.

Narine's top knock came to an end as attempting a slog sweep he was caught by Keemo Paul at deep mid-wicket to give Tahir the wicket. He scored 50 off 28 balls. TKR were still in the driver's seat on 101/3 after 11 overs.

TKR stumbled a bit with captain Kieron Pollard (ten) and Tim Seifert (two) falling cheaply to make the match more exciting than it should have been going into the final over.

TKR, needing five runs in the last over for victory, lost Darren for 30 as the equation read three runs in three balls. Dwayne Bravo, who missed the entire 2019 tournament because of a fractured finger, sealed TKR's first win of the tournament with a four through covers with two balls remaining.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Guyana Amazon Warriors 144/5 (17 overs) (Shimron Hetmyer 63 not out, Ross Taylor 33; Sunil Narine 2/19) vs TKR 147/6 (16.4 overs) (S Narine 50, Darren Bravo 30; Naveen-ul-Haq 2/21, Imran Tahir 2/40) TKR won by four wickets