Kings grab one-run win as TKR slip to fourth

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) ended their Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament ten-match unbeaten streak at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, on Sunday night as they fell to a nail-biting one-run defeat against St Lucia Kings.

Sent in to bat, St Lucia rallied to 147/6 after 20 overs and did well to restrict the hosts to 146/6.

Although TKR put on a fight, their batsmen fell agonisingly short of victory courtesy of a clinical bowling display by the Kings bowlers, particularly off-spinner Roston Chase (3/17) and pacer Alzarri Joseph (2/26).

The result saw TKR (seven points) slip from third to fourth position on the standings as they head into the final leg of competition in Guyana, which gets underway on Wednesday.

St Lucia (eight) climbed into second with Barbados Royals (14 points) atop the standings and Jamaica Tallawahs (eight) in third.

TKR leg-spinner Akeal Hosein opened the bowling confidently and gave up just one run off St. Lucia’s opening combination of Johnson Charles and Faf du Plessis.

The Kings’ pair did not click this time around as they scored eight runs before Daryn Dupavillon had the latter out caught by Leonardo Julien in the last ball of the second over.

Hosein bowled a well-worked maiden in the third but 17 runs came from Dupavillon’s second as Sri Lankan Niroshan Dickwella pulled behind square for six and then edged for four. Charles also smashed the South African for another maximum down the ground.

Sunil Narine had a rude introduction to the attack as Charles drove through leg side for four off his first delivery, followed by a six through leg side. He was not done as he completed Narine’s first over driving for six once more.

After the powerplay, Kings were 51/1.

TKR skipper Kieron Pollard rotated his bowling attack and reaped the rewards as in-form pacer Ravi Rampaul sent Dickwella (21) packing, out caught by Khary Pierre.

After ten overs, the St Lucia franchise was 69/2.

Rampaul returned and Charles brought up his half-century by getting on the front foot and punching a drive to the boundary. Four balls later, he broke the 67-run partnership as Charles edged on to his wicket to send Kings to 68/2.

Rampaul seemed to injure his left hamstring in that over and played no further part in the bowling attack.

Narine’s return in the 16th over saw Roston Chase (11) trapped leg-before, after five minutes of the umpires reviewing footage, although there was a small spike on the ball-tracking technology (104/4).

In the same over, new batsman David Wiese was given not out for leg-before but Pollard’s review was not permitted since he may have taken too long to make the call.

Into the 18th, Narine had another controversial wicket as the on-field umpire declared Adam Hose not out. But a timely review from the TKR skipper saw the umpire’s decision overturned and Hose dismissed.

Wiese hit Narine for four and was ruthless against Dupavillon in the penultimate over, hitting him for two sixes and a boundary to snag 19 runs from the over.

Russell completed the bowling by having Wiese edge to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert and the Kings closed on 147/6.

Rampaul was the pick of the bowlers for TKR as he had 2/10 from two overs while Narine (2/21), Russell (1/22) and Dupavillon (1/44) were also among the wickets.

In reply, TKR had a problematic start and lost their top-three batsmen with just 16 runs on the board, courtesy off-spinner Roston Chase. After opener Tim Seifert played a reverse sweep for four off the Bajan, Chase rattled Leonardo Julien’s stumps three balls later.

With 14 runs scored after three overs, Chase struck again, twice, as Colin Munro drove the ball into the hands of David Wiese and then Nicholas Pooran broke a golden duck, scooping into Larry Edwards’ hands after facing his first delivery.

With Pollard in the middle, Joseph entered the attack and was flicked for four off a no-ball, and hit for another by the skipper from the free-hit. Polly looked good and smashed two additional sixes in the next over to carry TKR to 45/3 after the powerplay.

Fast bowlers Kesrick Williams and Wiese slowed their progress, with one boundary coming from the next four overs, as TKR got to 70/3 after ten overs.

Needing 78 runs from the remaining 60 overs, TKR failed to amplify their intensity although there were glimmers of brilliance in the middle.

Two balls after the drinks break however, Joseph struck as Pollard (34) pulled into the safe hands of Mark Deyal to end his 54-run partnership with Seifert. Despite losing his captain, the Kiwi toiled on.

Hosein entered and took a while to get going but hit Williams for four before Seifert launched him for six.

Only 11 runs came from the next two overs, and Joseph struck again, this time with the precious scalp of Seifert (44), caught by Roshon Primus (98/5).

TKR needed 58 runs from 36 balls and Russell and Narine tried valiantly to get over the line. But Joseph’s form showed and he kept the big hitters at bay with targeted deliveries.

Russell smashed 23 from 11 while Narine hit 19 from 14. Russell hit one four and two sixes in the final over, but his late attempts still fell short of the target.

Chase and Joseph were the picks of the St Lucia bowlers.