Royals top of CPL; Warriors look to rebound vs TKR

A superb T20 century by South African opening batsman Quinton de Kock powered Barbados Royals to an impressive 32-run win against defending Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Guyana Amazon Warriors at Kensington Oval in Barbados on September 14.

Previously unbeaten in this year's tourney, the Warriors were put to the sword by the left-handed de Kock who struck 115 off 68 balls with nine sixes and eight fours to lead his team to an imposing 205 for six. It was his seventh T20 hundred and his first in the CPL.

The Warriors got starts from several players, but they were eventually restricted to 173 for five as the Royals jumped to the top of the six-team table with eight points from five games. The Warriors are in second position with six points from four games and they will need to regain their footing swiftly as their next challenge will come against a Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) team they defeated in last year's final.

After a sedate approach in the powerplay, where opener Kadeem Alleyne (22 off nine balls) – a replacement for the struggling Rahkeem Cornwall – got the Royals off to a brisk start, de Kock opened up his shoulders and played an array of shots all over the ground. De Kock took his 2024 CPL tally past 300 runs in the process and now stands atop the 2024 CPL run-scoring charts with 308 runs, some distance ahead of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots' Kyle Mayers (204 runs).

Former West Indies skipper Jason Holder (28 not out off ten balls) combined with de Kock at the death to give the Royals a rollicking end to their innings, with 43 runs coming off the last two overs which were bowled by seamers Keemo Paul (one for 47) and Raymon Reifer (three for 50).

Coming off a heart-wrenching last-over loss against TKR the previous night, the Royals were intent on bouncing back in a big way.

Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana's four-over spell cost just 21 runs, with South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (three for 42) striking crucial blows as he got the scalps of Tim Robinson (19), debutant Moeen Ali (33 off 19) and a charging Shimron Hetmyer (28 off ten balls), who struck the first three deliveries he faced – off different bowlers – for sixes.

Hetmyer came to the crease after the dismissal of Robinson, and he disdainfully clouted Maharaj for a pair of sixes as the Warriors closed the powerplay on 46 for two. The wily Maharaj had the last laugh in the ninth over, as Hetmyer was caught on the leg-side boundary by David Miller as the Proteas spinner tempted the Guyanese left-hander with a series of deliveries outside his off-stump.

Holder completed a fine allround showing by grabbing two for 32, and when he dismissed Shai Hope (40 off 34 balls) with a well-directed bouncer in the 14th over, the game was more or less secured for the hosts.

Hope acknowledged his team's shortcomings and knows they need to rebound quickly.

"I don't think we played the greatest game we could have played today, but we just have to look at the areas we can improve and then come back stronger next game...We understand the opposition we're playing next," Hope said, at the post-match presentation.

The Warriors were without 45-year-old leg-spinner and regular captain Imran Tahir (illness) and allrounder Romario Shepherd (injury). Hope said the South African's presence was definitely missed.

"We have to find ways to penetrate in the middle (overs). We have to find ways to get wickets. Imran Tahir is a big loss for us. He's obviously a trump card in the middle overs, but we can't look at that. We have to work with what we have and find ways to get wickets."

From 7 pm at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair, Trinidad on September 18, Hope and his charges will be looking to find back their championship strut when they face TKR in another instalment of their rivalry.

Royals captain Rovman Powell lauded de Kock's feat, and he hopes the South African star can continue his tremendous run of form.

"We were saying 150 or 160 wouldn't win the game. We said somebody in our top five had to bat deep as possible," Powell said.

"Fortunately for us tonight, Quinton (made) one of the better T20 hundreds. He's extremely valuable and he comes with a wealth of experience at the top of the order and he's in very good form. Long may that continue."

Royals will return to action when they host the cellar-placed Patriots on September 17.

"Credit has to be given to the team. I think we look good in all three areas and we just have to continue to do that. It's just for us to keep improving in all three areas."

Summarised Scores:

BARBADOS ROYALS: 205/6 from 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 115, Jason Holder 28 not out, Kadeem Alleyne 22; Raymon Reifer 3/50, Dwaine Pretorius 2/27) vs GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS: 173/5 from 20 overs (Shai Hope 40, Moeen Ali 33, Keemo Paul 30 not out; Keshav Maharaj 3/42, J Holder 2/32). Royals won by 32 runs.