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.
[caption id="attachment_974927" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Trinbago Knight Riders suporters enjoy themselves during the Hero CPL match at the Queen's Park Oval, St. Clair on Tuesday. Photo Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
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.
[caption id="attachment_974928" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Barbados Royals fast bowler Obed McCoy in action during his team's Hero Caribbean Premier League match against the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Queen's Park Oval, St Clair on Tuesday. Photo Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
Seekkuge Prasana (three) did not last, Rampaul (11) hit a six and was caught out on the next
