- ttsportdiary
TKR Bowlers Ruthless vs The Royals
Trinibago Knight Riders have moved to the top of the Hero Caribbean Premier League table, thanks to a convincing victory versus the Barbados Royals at Warner Park.
Skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that would prove a masterstroke. The Royals opened the batting with Johnson Charles and Kyle Mayers and the pair took the score to 24. It wasn’t long before spinner Khary Pierre removed Mayers for 24, and then 3 runs later he removed Samit Patel for 0 thanks to a one-handed Republic Bank classic catch by Lendl Simmons. Soon it was 41 for 3 when pacer Jayden Seales clean-bowled Johnson Charles for 14. Pierre was again in the action when he bowled the in-form Glen Phillips for 2 and the Royals were in serious trouble at 46 for 4. Things did not get any better for the Barbados based Royals when Sunil Narine triggered a mini collapse by comprehensively bowling Raymon Reifer for 16. One run later Pollard took a marvelous catch at second slip of a Akeal Hosein ripper to remove Skipper Jason Holder for 0, 59 for 6. And with the score still at 59 Hosein struck again inducing Nyeem Young's edge for Simmons to take a simple catch at second slip.
With the score at 80 Sunil Narine disturbed Azam Khan's middle and off stump and the writing was on the wall. Eventually the Royals limped to 93 for 9 giving TKR a small total to chase. Khary Pierre ended with 3 for 16, Jayden Seales 2 for 12, Akeal Hosein 2 for 13 and Sunil Narine 2 for 30 off their alloted 4 overs. For the first time in the tournament Ravi Rampaul went wicket less.
TKR got off to a slow start when Lendl Simmons was caught behind first ball of the innings to Mohammed Amir for a golden duck. With the score at 22, Amir then removed Tion Webster for 9. The game was never in doubt for TKR though as Colin Munroe 41 not out and Darren Bravo 19 ensured an easy victory for the defending champs, winning by 6 wickets. With that victory, TKR moved to top of the table thanks to a better net run rate than St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Khary Pierre was given the man of the match award.
*MATCH SUMMARY*
Trinbago Knight Riders 99/4 (Munro 41*, Bravo 19; Amir 2/19, Bishop 2/20) beat Barbados Royals 93/9 (Mayers 24, Azam Khan 17, Joshua Bishop 17; Pierre 3/16, Seales 2/12) by six wickets.