Pooran punishes Patriots, TKR complete record chase

An explosive batting performance from Nicholas Pooran (93 not out) returned Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) back to winning ways after they trumped St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by seven wickets at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on September 22.

Classy strokes from Pooran partnered with a well-constructed 64 from 34 balls from Englishman Jason Roy saw TKR complete the highest-ever CPL chase at the south venue.

The result saw TKR win their second of three matches played at home in Trinidad, with two more to go. Additionally, it also sank Patriots to nine consecutive losses out of ten matches this season.

Sent in to bat, Patriots posted a challenging total of 193/4, led by captain Andre Fletcher’s stellar 93 and Kyle Mayers’ 60. However, despite leaving it late, TKR got to 197/3, with nine balls remaining, courtesy fireworks from Pooran, Roy and a cameo ten not out from skipper Kieron Pollard.

Batting first, Patriots’ poor run of form from their openers continued as Evin Lewis (two) edged Akeal Hosein’s fifth delivery to Dwayne Bravo at slip, to go one down with just two runs on the board.

Fast bowler Andrew Russell went for a tidy two runs in the second over, but new batsman Kyle Mayers peppered a returning Hosein for a boundary down backward point then a six.

Mayers showed clear intent as he gave pacer Jayden Seales a rude welcome to the attack with three boundaries from his first six balls.

Russell was not spared in his second over as Patriots skipper Andre Fletcher helped a full toss behind square leg for six before Mayers also sailed one over the square leg boundary.

Veteran DJ Bravo tried his hand in the sixth over but Mayers was ruthless, smashing 19 off it, to propel Patriots to 63/1 after the power play.

Afghan Waqar Salamkheil had a horror start to his spell as he opened with a no-ball and was then slogged for a huge six off the free-hit.

At the halfway mark, Patriots stood firm at 101/1. However, three balls into pacer Chris Jordan’s first over after the break, the Englishman broke their 99-run partnership as he had Mayers brilliant caught and bowled for a stellar 60 from 30.

South African Rilee Rossouw had a fiery start to his knock as he struck Salamkheil through long off for four, then moved across the stumps to send Hosein for back-to-back boundaries. Fletcher also cleared the ropes by getting low and rifling Hosein over midwicket.

Rossouw’s quick-fire 20 from 11 came to an end two balls later as he pulled Seales to deep midwicket into a diving Keacy Carty’s hands.

At 142/3 after 15 overs, Fletcher chipped out his crease to loft Salamkheil down the ground for six, which ushered back-to-back boundaries to bring up Patriots’ 150.

TKR, however, showed grit in their death bowling as Jordan conceded just six from the 18th and Bravo, only four runs off the penultimate over.

Fletcher had other ideas as he pulled Jordan for a four and six, before playing into Pollard’s hands at long-off on the final delivery.

Patriots closed on 193/4, with Fletcher finishing unbeaten on 93 and Mikyle Louis on ten. TKR’s Jordan (2/29) topped the bowling with Seales (1/18) and Hosein (1/36) also among the wickets.

In reply, TKR started with right-handed batsmen Keacy Carty bumped up to opener alongside Jason Roy, owing to Sunil Narine out injured. Shaqkere Parris was dropped while Bravo replaced Josh Little.

TKR had a slow start scoring eight off the first two overs.

Roy later whipped South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje behind square leg for a boundary and then cleared mid-on for another.

Mayers returned with the ball in the sixth and reaped swift dividends as he had Carty caught by Lewis on the boundary going for a big shot.

In came homeboy Pooran, who blitzed from the get-go. He immediately attacked Mayers’ bowling by slashing one past mid-on for four, and then pulling through square leg to carry TKR to 55/1 after the powerplay.

Roy half-volleyed Nortje for six over long-on, followed by Pooran chipping down the track to blast South African wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi for six more.

With the score ticking, Roy increased the pace when Kiwi Josh Clarkson opened his account with the ball. Roy smashed a four, six and another four off him to bring up his half century.

Another six from Roy hauled TKR to 100/1 after ten overs, but not before wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva dropped Pooran behind the stumps. At that stage, TKR needed 94 runs from 60 balls.

The fireworks continued in the 11th over as Pooran gave Jeremiah Louis a rude welcome with a six behind square leg, while Roy edged past Da Silva for four.

Shamsi, however, shattered the 73-run partnership as Roy sliced into Da Silva’s gloves, which sent TKR to 116/2. In came lanky middle order batsman Tim David, joining Pooran in the middle. A fielding mix-up, two balls later, saw Pooran dropped again, this time by Dominic Drakes.

Pooran ended Shamsi’s over with a boundary, but the TKR pair suffered over the next three overs as they could only muster 15 runs. Pooran, however, counted his blessings, as Drake dropped him once again.

With five overs to go, TKR needed 56 from 30 balls for victory.

Soon after, Nortje sent David packing caught and bowled. Pooran brought up his half century three balls later as he slapped through backward point to ease some pressure on him and skipper Kieron Pollard.

With 48 needed from 24, Pooran showed no mercy and belted Louis for consecutive sixes and a single, while Pollard followed up with another maximum.

With Pooran on strike and TKR needing 27 from the final three overs, Nortje’s pace proved inferior as the TT batsman unforgivingly blasted him for a boundary then two consecutive sixes to put the victory within reach.

Needing just nine from 12, Pooran finished in style as Pollard made a single, Pooran faced a wide, and then smashed Clarkson for four and a huge six to seal the win.

This was TKR’s seventh match of the tournament, having won five and lost two.

TKR return to the south venue on September 24 to face table toppers St Lucia from 10am and end their five-match home leg against Barbados Royals on September 27 from 8pm.