TKR suffer Royal beating as Barbados win sixth straight

HOME ADVANTAGE failed to bolster the Trinbago Knight Riders’ (TKR) Hero Caribbean Premier League campaign as Barbados Royals thumped the hosts by eight wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair, on Tuesday.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, TKR suffered another dismal batting collapse and were dismissed for 132 after 20 overs in front of a bumper crowd.

In reply, the Royals were ruthless in their chase and got to 133/2 after 16 overs to secure their sixth consecutive win and maintain their flawless run of form.

The result cemented the Bajan franchise (12 points) atop the CPL standings while TKR sit at the bottom on three points, with one win from five matches.

Sent in to bat, TKR openers Nicholas Pooran and Tion Webster scored 23 from the first three overs.

Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall, however, struck twice in the fourth over as he had Webster caught by Jason Holder at long-off, and then forced Colin Munro to play on to his stumps, for one run, to send TKR to 25/2.

Fresh off his Asia Cup campaign, Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman sent batsman Tim Seifert (duck) packing after his second delivery, as the ball hit his pad, rolled on to his gloves, then fell onto the wicket (26/3).

TKR skipper Kieron Pollard entered the fray and the home crowd banked on his experience to rescue a toppled top order. But he again failed to fire with the bat, and scored six before he was trapped leg-before by an in-form Rahman (37/4).

Pollard reviewed the decision but technical issues with Hawk-Eye (ball tracking technology) forced the umpire’s decision to stand. With ten overs gone, TKR were struggling at 53/4.

Sunil Narine then partnered with Pooran in the middle to build a much-needed 70-run partnership from 59 balls.

Pooran played well and got to a well-worked 52 runs (two fours and two sixes). He smashed Cornwall for back-to-back sixes and looked to control the innings while fellow left-hander Narine acted as support.

Narine then pulled Obed McCoy for a maximum but two balls later, the Vincentian pacer had Pooran bowled as he stepped forward for a big shot and hasdhis stumps scattered with a yorker.

At 108/5 with four overs remaining, TKR welcomed big-hitter Andre Russell to the pitch. Rahman, however, had Narine caught by wicketkeeper Quinton DeKock in the next over to send TKR to a dismal 113/6.

Russell, like his skipper, misfired again and was caught by McCoy on the ropes for just three runs.

Seekkuge Prasana (three) did not last, Rampaul (11) hit a six and was caught out on the next ball and Daryn Dupavillion (three) was run out on the final ball.

Rahman (3/17) was the pick of the bowlers for Royals while Cornwall (2/27), Holder (2/30) and McCoy (2/30) were also among the wickets.

In their turn at the crease, Royals' opener Cornwall was dropped by Russell at mid-off, off Rampaul’s second delivery. His escape saw Kyle Mayers step up and to launch Rampaul for two boundaries in the first over.

Dupavillion would have none of it as he had Cornwall bowled from his third delivery (11/1).

Incoming batsman Corbin Bosch also struck a boundary off Dupavillion but it was the next over, from Rampaul, which saw Mayers smash a huge six and then successive fours. Mayers showed good form and hit another two boundaries off Dupavillion’s next over.

The introduction of off-spinner Narine temporarily slowed the Royals’ chase. Jayden Seales then bowled his first over and was also punished by Mayers, flicking for four and then slapping over mid-on for another.

At the end of the powerplay, the Royals were 58/1.

Pollard introduced himself to the bowling attack and was peppered by Mayers with a four and two sixes in the last three balls of his first over.

With ten overs gone, the Royals were on course at 92/1.

Dupavillion continued his spell and was duly rewarded with the prized scalp of Mayers as he had the Bajan all-rounder spoon the ball into the hands of Pollard at cover. The previous delivery, however, was hit out of the ground by Mayers for six runs.

DeKock and Bosch easily chipped away at the low target and were able to carry Barbados to victory

Mayers, who was named as the Man of the Match, topscored with a brilliant knock of 79 runs from 36 balls, which comprised five sixes and ten fours. Bosch finished on 33 not out and deKock closed on an unbeaten 12.

TKR return to the St Clair venue on Wednesday to face Guyana Amazon Warriors from 7 pm. The first game, from 10 am, sees defending champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots up against Jamaica Tallawahs.