TWO-TIME Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) winners Barbados Royals (six points) jumped to second spot in the 2024 season on September 11 when they got a ten-run win over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
On a tricky surface, the Falcons made a competitive score of 176 for five, with opening batsman Justin Greaves top-scoring with 61 not out off 52 balls as he carried his bat through the innings.
English batsman Sam Billings cracked 56 off 43 balls and he shared in a 92-run partnership for the second wicket with Greaves as the newest CPL franchise hunted their third straight win.
The game was nicely poised halfway through the Royals' innings, as they were placed on 75 for two and still needed 102 runs for victory off 60 balls.
As the Royals progressed to 124 for three at the end of the 14th over, the game was halted for roughly 40 minutes after a steady shower. At that stage, the Royals were ahead on the DLS Method.
The game did resume briefly, but another heavy downpour forced the players off the field after just three balls as the Royals progressed to 127 for three before the game was called off for good with the hosts edging ahead of the revised 118-run target.
The rain-hit victory was the Royals' third straight win in the tourney and their second against the Falcons this season.
The Barbados franchise didn't have the best of starts to the chase as they lost opening batsman Rahkeem Cornwall for duck and were stuttering at 13 for one after three overs.
[caption id="attachment_1108116" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Watch out Skip: Barbados Royals captain Rovman Powell, right, collides with Rahkeem Cornwall during their 2024 Republic Cup CPL match versus Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at Kensington Oval in Barbados on September 11. Photo courtesy CPL via Getty Images. -[/caption]
Dropped by Greaves before he could put a run on the board, Man of the Match Quinton de Kock (48 off 30 balls) gave the hosts life as he shared in a 72-run partnership for the second wicket with Alick Athanaze (34 off 29 balls). The latter fell via the run out route in the tenth over after a collision with de Kock as the hosts slipped to 73 for two.
With the game in the balance, Falcons allrounder Roshon Primus effectively swung the game towards the Royals in a wayward 12th over which went for 23 runs – including three no-balls and four wides.
Primus dismissed de Kock via a short ball in the same over, but the damage had already been done. With rain in the atmosphere, Royals captain Rovman Powell (15 not out off 11 balls) and David Miller (19 not out off 13 balls) guided their team to victory with an unbeaten 34-run partnership.
On September 13, the Royals will aim to land a fourth straight victory when they face four-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders at Kensington.
Summarised Scores:
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA FALCONS: 176/5 from 20 overs (Justin Greaves 61 not out, Sam Billings 56, Brandon King 27; Naveen-ul-Haq 2/34, Jason Hold
