Trinbago Knight Riders lose to Falcons again

ANTIGUA and Barbuda Falcons seem to find their best form against Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), defeating the TT franchise for the second time in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League. A victory for TKR would have confirmed a spot for the TT franchise in the playoffs.

Falcons got past TKR by six wickets at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair, on September 19.

TKR posted 134/8 and Falcons in response wrapped up the win by scoring 135/4 in 19 overs.

The match was not without controversy as Falcons batsman Imad Wasim was not out, then out and then not out again.

Defending a modest 134, TKR needed to pick up early wickets and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein did just that.

He grabbed the wicket of Brandon King in the first over, caught by Waqar Salamkheil at backward square leg. It should have been two wickets in the first over, but Salamkheil put down Kofi James.

The TKR fans were on their feet again as Russell bowled Kofi for ten with a perfectly bowled yorker.

Opener Justin Greaves and Khan put Falcons in control, with the latter playing some lusty blows.

Khan also showed his timing. The right-hander played one of the shots of the night when he opened the face of the bat and steered a ball from pacer Chris Jordan to the third man boundary.

The partnership between Khan and Greaves was now more than 50 as the Falcons progressed to 68/2 after nine overs.

Khan's confidence led to his demise as he was stumped by Pooran for 36 off 20 balls to give Narine the wicket.

Narine thought he had two wickets in two balls. Wasim was intially given not out after a leg before appeal, but then given out after a review.

Wasim openly showed his frustration with the decision as he felt the ball struck his bat. Wasim had already crossed the boundary, but umpire Christopher Taylor changed the decision after consultation with the third umpire. The rules of cricket say that if a batsman leaves the field after being given out, he cannot return to the field.

TKR then complained and it led to a ten-minute delay in the match. Falcons assistant coach Sir Curtly Ambrose and TKR head coach Phil Simmons were also seen on TV looking upset with the situation.

Wasim was eventually allowed to continue batting. It was an important decision in the match because if Wasim's dismissal stood, the Falcons would have been 68/4 in the tenth over.

Instead, Wasim ended on 36 not out off 27 balls to steer Falcons to victory. Greaves retired not out for 46.

Batting first, Sunil Narine's dismal run of form this season continued as he fell for four in the first over, bowled by fast bowler Mohammad Amir.

Nicholas Pooran, promoted to number three in the batting order, joined Shaqkere Parris.

Pooran, one of the most popular TKR players, settled down quickly with a couple glorious off side shots for four.

Parris, on the other hand, played and missed on multiple occasions leading to Pooran having a talk with him during the third over.

After Falcons kept the TKR batters quiet for a couple overs, Parris broke the shackles with a six over square leg. However, the next ball Parris was walking back to the pavilion for nine. Attempting another massive shot, he could only sky the ball to mid-on fielder Chris Green to give Shamar Springer the wicket.

Pooran and new batsman Keacy Carty struggled to find the boundary as they crawled to 39/2 after seven overs.

It was soon 42/4 in the ninth over as both batsmen were dismissed trying to increase the scoring rate. Carty was bowled for eight off 13 balls by off spinner Chris Green and Tobagonian Joshua James, playing his first match of the tournament, dismissed Pooran for 14. Hassan Khan showed his athleticism, sprinting in from square leg then diving forward to complete the catch and dismiss the TKR wicket-keeper.

Falcons, with just two wins coming into the match, would have been the happier team with TKR reeling on 49/4 after ten overs.

Tim David, one of the heroes in TKR's win over Guyana Amazon Warriors the night before, struck Khan for six over long on in the 12th over. TKR captain Kieron Pollard seemed to feel left out as he also struck a six over the long on boundary to give the TKR fans something to cheer about.

Not many players in the world can hit a cricket ball further than David and he showed that by launching a delivery by spinner Fabian Allen over the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Stand.

Allen had the final say before the over ended though, as David could only find Imad Wasim at short third man. David scored 25 off 20 balls.

It was two wickets in two balls for Allen, as Russell picked out James in the covers.

The crowd was silenced as TKR slipped to 83/6 with only five overs remaining.

Overs were running out for TKR, but Pollard still did not take too many risks as they strolled to 93/6 after 17 overs. The 18th over by Springer went for 11 runs, including a four by Pollard down to the mid-wicket fence.

Pollard belted Amir for two sixes on the leg side as the 19th over was a productive one for TKR as the left-arm pacer conceded 22 runs.

Pollard could not take TKR to the end as Springer grabbed his wicket for 47 off 37 deliveries. He cracked two fours and four sixes.

TKR closed on 134/8 in 20 overs as Chris Jordan was run out for three in the last ball of the innings. Akeal Hosein ended on nine not out. Springer and Allen were the most successful bowlers for Falcons, snatching 2/28 in three overs and 2/13 in two overs respectively.

Scores: TKR 134/8 (Kieron Pollard 47, Tim David 25; Fabian Allen 2/13, Shamar Springer 2/28) vs FALCONS 135/4 (19 overs) (Justin Greaves 46 retired out, Hassan Khan 36, Imad Wasim 36 not out). Falcons won by six wickets.