TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) made a losing start in the SKYEXCH 6ixty men’s tournament with a three-wicket defeat to Barbados Royals at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, on Thursday.
TKR were without many of their top players including Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran and Colin Munro.
Pollard, Narine and Munro have been competing in the Hundred tournament in England. It is uncertain when they will join TKR.
Pooran is coming off an intense two months of cricket as West Indies captain with 50-over and T20 matches against Bangladesh, India and New Zealand.
TKR could only muster 76 all out in 7.5 overs with Akeal Hosein cracking 27 off 16 balls with one four and two sixes. Opener Tion Webster tried to get TKR off to a strong start with 18 off nine deliveries.
Corbin Bosch was the best bowler for the Royals snatching 1/12 in 1.5 overs.
In response, Royals scored 80/3 in 6.3 overs with Bosch lashing three fours and four sixes in his knock of 42 off 23 balls. Harry Tector helped guide Royals to victory with 16 not out off six balls.
Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul took 1/5 in one over for TKR.
After the match, Hosein said someone should have taken the responsibility to bat through the innings for TKR.
“I think whoever gets in has to take it all the way and that is exactly what Bosch did tonight, it is a short format. Having said that it is difficult to go from ball one, so I think once you get in you have to try to take it as deep as possible for your team,” Hosein said.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise continued their stellar start to the 6ixty tournament as the men’s team defeated St Lucia Kings by seven runs in the opening match, on Thursday.
The victory for the Amazon Warriors men followed two victories by the Amazon Warriors women, on Wednesday.
Amazon Warriors posted 111/5 in ten overs thanks to a destructive 36 not out from Odean Smith. Smith struck two fours and three sixes in his 24-ball innings.
Shai Hope contributed 19 off eight balls opening the batting.
Jeavor Royal and Matthew Forde were the best bowlers for the Kings. Royal snatched 2/8 in one over and Forde took 2/24 in two overs.
Kings fell just short of the target, dismissed for 104 in 9.5 overs. Roshon Primus cracked 41 off 23 deliveries, an innings which comprised four fours and two sixes.
Ravendra Persaud tried to get Kings to victory with a quick 16 off seven balls, but left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil picked up 3/16 in two overs to guide Amazon Warriors to the win.
Following that match, Jamaica Tallawahs delivered a resounding performance to defeat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 55 runs.
After posting a mammoth 139 all out in 9.5 overs, Tallawahs dismissed Patriots for 84 in 7.2 overs.
Fabian Allen struck 45 off 18 balls with two fours and three sixes to lead the way for Tallawahs.
Raymon Reifer and captain Rovman Powell also helped Tallawahs to the massive total. Reifer belted 38 not out off 19 deliveries and Powell cracked 32 off 13 balls.
Spin bowler Jon-Russ Jaggesar was the only bowler w
