[UPDATED] Pollard hits TKR bowlers for six

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) captain Kieron Pollard said the team’s bowlers needed to deliver in the closing overs after the TT franchise lost to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament, on Thursday.

TKR are in danger of not qualifying for the playoffs after losing by seven runs to the Patriots at Providence Stadium in East Bank Demerara, Guyana.

TKR were fifth in the six-team standings with seven points after the match. If Guyana Amazon Warriors defeated St Lucia Kings on Thursday night TKR could have slipped into last place.

TKR will have to win their last preliminary match against Amazon Warriors and hope other results go their way to advance to the playoffs. TKR will play Amazon Warriors at Providence on Saturday, at 7 pm.

The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. The playoffs start on Tuesday at Providence.

A late surge led Patriots to 163/6 in 20 overs and in response TKR scored 156/7.

After the match, Pollard said, “Being able to bat and bring the game right down (was positive).”

He said TKR leaked too many runs in the last few overs.

“Obviously they got away from us in the last four overs scoring 80 runs or so, but that for me shows where T20 cricket is. It shows the importance of having yorkers and being able to confidently bowl your yorkers and bowl in pressure situations no matter who you are as an individual. All these things are learning (experiences) for each and everyone in that dressing room.”

Pollard said TKR needed to deliver in key moments of the match.

“Taking up the challenge in different times rather than taking the easy options is what I have been asking the guys to do and standing up in crucial scenarios and today (Thursday) I said 80 runs in four overs in a T20 game is not great.”

Looking ahead to TKR’s next match against Amazon Warriors, Pollard said, “It is a must-win game for us. Obviously, it is going to be a packed stadium, so again this is why we play the game and this is why we play cricket for games like these. We just got to stand up and make ourselves be counted, so let’s see what happens on Saturday.”

Batting first, the Patriots were struggling on 94/4 after 17 overs.

Sherfane Rutherford and Dewald Brevis then swung the match in the Patriots’ favour with destructive hitting.

Medium pacer Andre Russell was punished by Rutherford as the left-handed Guyanese batsman made use of familiar conditions.

Rutherford got to his 50 by pulling Russell for six over mid-wicket. Russell conceded 18 runs in the 18th over.

In the 19th over, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein was struck for four sixes and one four. He leaked 30 runs in the over as Brevis joined the fun with impressive batting.

Rutherford fell in the last over to fast bowler Daryn Dupavillon, but Patriots added another 21 runs in the over to close on 163/6 in 20 overs. Patriots slammed 69 runs in the last three overs.

Rutherford struck 78 off 50 balls with six fours and five sixes and Brevis hit five sixes in his cameo of 30 not out off six balls.

Dupavillon ended with 3/38 in four overs for TKR.

In response, TKR got off to another disappointing start and were reduced to 22/2 in the fourth over with Leonardo Julien (one) and Colin Munro (three) already dismissed.

Runs were hard to come by for TKR crawling to 33/2 after seven overs. At this stage, TKR captain Kieron Pollard had four off 19 deliveries.

TKR’s run rate was slow until spinner Akila Dananjaya conceded 18 runs in the 12th over as the TT franchise moved to 79/2.

Pollard fell for 31 off 36 balls and Nicholas Pooran’s dismal run of form continued as he was out for 15 off ten balls. TKR were now 105/4 after 15.1 overs and in need of a special innings.

Seifert, TKR’s best batsman this season, continued to battle at the crease and was joined by Russell.

Requiring 50 off the last three overs, Russell demonstrated his ability and gave TKR a chance.

Seifert fell for 59 off 47 balls with four fours and three sixes, but Russell kept TKR in the contest as the TT franchise needed 16 of the last over.

Sheldon Cottrell bowled Russell in the fourth ball of the last over for 29 off 17 as TKR had to get two sixes off the final two balls to win. TKR could not get over the line and closed on 156/7 in 20 overs.

Cottrell took 3/33 in four overs for Patriots.

Summarised Scores:

ST KITTS AND NEVIS PATRIOTS 163/6 (20 overs) – Sherfane Rutherford 78, Dewald Brevis 30 not out; Daryn Dupavillon 3/38 vs TKR 156/7 (20 overs) – Tim Seifert 59, Kieron Pollard 31, Andre Russell 29; Sheldon Cottrell 3/33, Kevin Sinclair 2/18, Dwayne Bravo 2/46. Patriots won by seven runs

This story was originally published with the title "TKR in danger of missing CPL playoffs after defeat to Patriots" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) are in danger of not qualifying for the playoffs of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament after losing by seven runs to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Providence Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana, on Thursday.

TKR are now fifth in the six-team standings with seven points.

They will have to win their last preliminary match against Guyana Amazon Warriors and hope other results go their way to advance to the playoffs.

TKR will play Amazon Warriors at Providence on Saturday, at 7 pm.

The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs, which start on Tuesday at Providence.

Batting first, Patriots were struggling on 94/4 after 17 overs.

Sherfane Rutherford and Dewald Brevis then swung the match in the Patriots' favour with destructive hitting.

Medium pacer Andre Russell was punished by Rutherford as the left-handed Guyanese batsman made use of familiar conditions. Rutherford got to his 50 by pulling Russell for six over mid-wicket. Russell conceded 18 runs in the 18th over.

In the 19th over, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein was struck for four sixes and one four. He leaked 30 runs in the over as Brevis joined the fun with impressive batting.

Rutherford fell in the last over to fast bowler Daryn Dupavillon, but Patriots added another 21 runs in the over to close on 163/6 in 20 overs. They slammed 69 runs in the last three overs.

Rutherford struck 78 off 50 balls with six fours and five sixes and Brevis hit five sixes in his cameo of 30 not out off six balls.

Dupavillon ended with 3/38 in four overs for TKR.

In response, TKR got off to another disappointing start and were reduced to 22/2 in the fourth over, with Leonardo Julien (one) and Colin Munro (three) already dismissed.

Runs were hard to come by for TKR, crawling to 33/2 after seven overs. At this stage TKR captain Kieron Pollard had four off 19 deliveries.

TKR’s run rate was slow until spinner Akila Dananjaya conceded 18 runs in the 12th over as the TT franchise moved to 79/2.

Pollard fell for 31 off 36 balls and Nicholas Pooran’s dismal run of form continued as he was out for 15 off ten balls. TKR were now 105/4 after 15.1 overs and in need of a special innings.

Seifert, TKR’s best batsman this season, continued to battle at the crease and was joined by Russell.

Requiring 50 off the last three overs, Russell demonstrated his ability and gave TKR a chance. Seifert fell for 59 off 47 balls with four fours and three sixes, but Russell kept TKR in the contest as the TT franchise needed 16 of the last over.

Sheldon Cottrell bowled Russell in the fourth ball of the last over for 29 off 17 as TKR had to get two sixes of the final two balls to win.

TKR could not get over the line and closed on 156/7 in 20 overs.

Cottrell took 3/33 in four overs for Patriots.

Summarised Scores:

ST KITTS AND NEVIS PATRIOTS 163/6 (20 overs) – Sherfane Rutherford 78, Dewald Brevis 30 not out; Daryn Dupavillon 3/38 vs TKR 156/7 (20 overs) – Tim Seifert 59, Kieron Pollard 31, Andre Russell 29; Sheldon Cottrell 3/33, Kevin Sinclair 2/18, Dwayne Bravo 2/46. Patriots won by seven runs