Bravo leads Knight Riders to morale-boosting victory

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016…

BY JOHN RAMSINGH AT CENTRAL BROWARD REGIONAL PARK, LAUDERHILL

Defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) end the group stage of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the bottom of the table St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in match 29 at the Central Broward Regional Park, Lauderhill.
Faf du Plessis called correctly at the toss and decided to bat but wickets began to tumble from the fourth over and in the end the Patriots made an inadequate 137/6 from their allotment of 20 overs mainly due to the bowling feats of Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine.

Kiran Powell got the innings going with some lusty blows but it was the hero of the previous encounter between the two teams, Evin Lewis who was first to go. Lewis was easily taken at gully by William Perkins to be the first of four victims from Bravo. Powell, who was playing his first match after a collision with JJ Smuts on July 13 at the Kensington Oval against the Tridents was going great guns but was at the non-strikers end when Captain du Plessis was out done by Bravo. Powell followed in the next over for 23 (17 balls; 3×4; 1×6) at 25/3 when Anton Devcich took a stunner off of his own bowling.
Lendl Simmons who came in at number four got the recovery going with Jonathan Carter when they put on 44 for the fourth wicket before Carter was stumped off of the economical Sunil Narine. Simmons then added 54 with Shamarh Brooks before the innings ended when Devon Thomas was taken by Bravo off his own bowling off the final delivery of the innings. Simmons was unbeaten on 60 (40 balls; 3×4; 4×6) but the total was never going to give the defending champs any trouble. Bravo who took the Man of the Match prize with outstanding figures of 4-0-13-4 while Narine was very difficult to negotiate with 4-1-9-1. Devcich took the other wicket.
Hashim Amla and William Perkins set out to give the TKR a perfect start for a morale boosting victory heading into the play-offs but debutant Jeremiah Louis struck in his first over. Amla took a boundary and a double before he spooned one to Krishmar Santokie at mid-on. Fifty eight runs later Perkins went but the writing was on the wall and the Patriots were not going to beat the defending champions for the second consecutive time in the United States of America. Perkins went for 29 with four fours and a six from 24 balls but Denesh Ramdin who batted at number four kept going and with Brendon Mc Cullum ensured the Knight Riders win their fifth match with 18 balls remaining.
Ramdin was 52 not out from 46 balls with six fours while the Kiwi Mc Cullum who was short of runs ended on 43 from 28 balls after hitting two fours and three sixes.
Jonathan Carter was the other wicket taker for the Patriots who end the tournament firmly at the bottom of the points table with four points from two victories while the Knight Riders will move on to the next stage of the tournament where they will next play the St. Lucia Zouks on Thursday August 4 in the eliminator.