EXPERIENCED fast bowler Ravi Rampaul delivered a memorable performance to lead Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to a four-wicket win over Jamaica Tallawahs, in a low-scoring affair, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on Saturday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Tallawahs could only muster 116/7 in 20 overs. The TKR responded with 119/6 with five deliveries to spare.
Rampaul, 37, wrecked the Tallawahs top order grabbing three of the first four wickets to leave the Jamaica franchise tottering at 22/4 after five overs.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein got the ball rolling getting the early wicket of Amir Jangoo, caught for six by Andre Russell running back at mid-on.
[caption id="attachment_975593" align="alignnone" width="947"] Trinbago Knight Riders pacer Ravi Rampaul acknowledges the applause from the fans after taking a wicket against the Jamaica Tallawahs on Saturday. - Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Tallawahs lost another wicket when Brandon King skied a delivery from Rampaul to Sunil Narine at mid-wicket.
Shamarh Brooks tried to quiet down the massive crowd with a four through covers off Hosein, but wickets continued to tumble.
The score was 22/3 after 4.2 overs when Tallawahs captain Rovman Powell played a delivery from Rampaul onto his stumps trying to pull a ball through square leg.
Raymon Reifer fell for duck finding the edge to give wicket-keeper Tim Seifert a simple catch and hand Rampaul another wicket. Rampaul now had remarkable figures of 3/3.
Brooks and Imad Wasim kept the TKR bowlers out of the wicket column for a few overs.
In the tenth over Tallawahs slipped to 38/5 when Brooks was given out leg before to off-spinner Sunil Narine for 20.
Against the run of play, Fabian Allen swept Narine for six to get Tallawahs past 50.
Allen and Wasim battled at the crease for the Tallawahs in an effort to get their team to a respectable total.
Tallawahs progressed to 76/5 after 15 overs and was need of some hefty blows to get to a competitive total.
After Colin Munro dropped a tough catch to give Allen a chance, the right-hander made them pay.
Allen struck Rampaul for six over mid-wicket and in the same over he hit a four down to wide third man.
[caption id="attachment_975594" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fabian Allen of the Jamaica Tallawahs plays a square cut during his team's Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) contest against the Trinbago Knight Riders on Saturday, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. - Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Rampaul got the breakthrough before the 17th over was completed as Wasim was caught in the covers for 19 off 35 balls.
Allen continued to play his shots hitting fast bowler Anderson Phillip for six to get Tallawahs past 100. After getting to his 50, Allen was caught by TKR captain Kieron Pollard at long off to give pacer Daryn Dupavillon the wicket. He struck three fours and three sixes in his knock of 50 off 35 balls.
Rampaul ended as TKR’s most successful bowler with figures of 4/19 in four overs.
TKR got off to a disastrous st
