[UPDATED] Pollard: TKR will be up for it when time comes

ON their fifth attempt, the newest Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, got their first win of the 2024 edition when they got past four-time champs Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) by a six-run margin at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on September 5.

Batting first, the Falcons made a competitive score of 176 for six, with the Pakistani pair of Imad Wasim (46 off 29) and Fakhar Zaman (38 off 26 balls) leading the way, to go along with opener Justin Greaves who scored a brisk 37 off 19 balls.

After rattling off a massive score of 250 versus St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in their first game of the season on August 31, the Kieron Pollard-led TKR team would have backed themselves to hand the Falcons a fifth straight loss.

And though star batsman Nicholas Pooran went for a golden duck after a fabulous return catch by allrounder Fabian Allen (three for 23), the visitors appeared to be grabbing the upper hand in the contest when Pollard and Keacy Carty stitched together a rapid 63-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

However, after Pollard (30 off 15 balls) dragged on a delivery from Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir (one for 24) in the 17th over, TKR had an untimely slide as new batsman Andre Russell (eight) and Carty (34 off 22 balls) fell in consecutive overs, to leave them on 155 for seven in the penultimate over.

The visitors needed 22 off the last 11 balls after Carty's dismissal, with the lower-order pair of Terrance Hinds (four) and Akeal Hosein (11 off six balls) tasked with getting TKR over the line.

Fourteen runs were needed off the last over from Roshon Primus (two for 40). And though the Falcons were reduced to ten players for the final over and had just three players outside the inner circle, due to their slow over rate, the Barbados allrounder held his nerve as he clean-bowled Hinds off the third ball of the over to help his team secure the victory.

Pollard said TKR need to be sharper in the field going forward, but he isn't worried about the defeat, as his team is still finding their stride in the tournament.

"For us, it's just about understanding what's going to work for us as a team and continue to focus and get better as individuals," Pollard said at the post-match presentation. "No matter the breaks, or constant cricket, we'll be up for it when that time comes."

TKR tinkered with their lineup from the first game, with Hosein, Russell and US batsman Andries Gous coming in for the trio of Nathan Edward, Jason Roy and former captain Dwayne Bravo, who is playing his final CPL season.

With emerging players Edward and Shaqkere Parris in their squad, Pollard reiterated the importance of giving the youngsters a run in the competition.

"We saw the way Shaq Parris batted, he has a sort of elegance and character...for us, it's about giving opportunities and I think we've got two good emerging players. Having said that, we will just continue to try and play good cricket overall."

Pollard's charges return to action when they face the unbeaten St Lucia Kings on September 10, and the skipper is also looking forward to his team's home leg, which starts on September 18 with a clash against reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair. He expects his team's experience to show their worth as the campaign unfolds.

"It's early in the tournament...we know when we get to Trinidad, we're going to have games thick and fast, and that's the nature of the competition."

After being inserted by TKR, Wasim and Allen (25 not out off 11 balls) helped the Falcons score 55 runs off the last five overs to post their highest total so far this season. TKR's spin pair of Waqar Salamkheil and Sunil Narine led the attack with figures of two for 27 and two for 32 respectively.

With the ball in hand, Man of the Match Allen had a major impact on proceedings, as he dismissed Parris (31 off 28 balls) and the dangerous Pooran off consecutive balls in the tenth over, before getting the scalp of Gous (39 off 33 balls) as well.

"We played four games here previously and I think the conditions suit our play. I think we just backed our strengths and bowled in the right areas tonight and got the results," Allen said. "We were searching for that win and I'm grateful that we got it tonight (September 5)."

Carty and Pollard threatened to spoil the home team's party with their brutal counter-attack, but the Falcons bowlers delivered at the death to reduce TKR to 170 for nine and hand last season's runners-up their first loss in the 2024 campaign.

Scores:

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA FALCONS 176/6 (20 overs) (Imad Wasim 46, Fakhar Zaman 38; Waqar Salamkheil 2/27, Sunil Narine 2/32) vs TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS 170/9 (20 overs) (Andries Gous 39, Keacy Carty 34; Fabian Allen 3/23, Roshon Primus 2/40). Falcons won by six runs.