At 20 for 4 in the fifth over after being sent in, the capacity crowd at the Queen’s Park Oval were looking at an early night but opening batsman Hashim Amla and inspirational leader Dwayne Bravo added 150 for the fifth wicket to ensure the Trinbago Knight Riders beat the Barbados Tridents by 11 runs in match three of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2016.
Hashim Amla hits out on his way to 81Gone! Run out! Pooran attempting a second run falls short!
In Akeal Hosein’s first over, the second of the match he got success immediately to start the slide for the home team in front of a sold out crowd. With the score on 7 Brendon Mc Cullum who was looking to hit every ball out of the ground swung and missed a full delivery and was bowled for 1 from 6 balls. In his next over Colin Munro (6 from 7 balls) was comprehensively bowled with a good ball that spun from middle stump and hit the top of off with the score on 15/2 in the 4th over. The next over Ravi Rampaul picked up two wickets in three balls when he got Darren Bravo (4) and Umar Akmal (0) to edge to wicket keeper Nicholas Pooran both wickets going down with the score on 20. Then came the partnership of the match.
Bravo and the classy Hashim Amla steadied the boat early on soaking up deliveries before the late assault. They put on 150 in 15.2 overs to see their team to a respectable 170/5. The partnership breaking off the last ball of the innings when Amla was bowled by Shoaib Malik for a well compiled 81 from 54 balls hitting 5 fours and 4 well timed sixes. Bravo remained not out on 66 from 46 balls (3×4; 4×6) to bring the hope team back in the match and give the full house something to cheer about.
When the run chase began the Tridents were asked to score at 8.55 runs per over to win and were off to a flying start with Steven Taylor (37) and Kyle Hope (11) scoring 41 in 5.5 overs. But once they were separated there was a steady procession of Tridents batsmen to and from the crease. Shoaib Malik made 28, Nicholas Pooran played some big shots in the end for 33 while AB de Villiers 12 and Kieron Pollard with a first ball duck never troubled the Knight Riders bowlers.
Narine was once again the main wicket taker with 2 for 21 and was supported by Cooper with 2 for 42 and Benn (1/16) and Bravo 1/24. The Knight Riders were well supported in the field as well with 2 run outs and some excellent ground fielding and brilliant catching that summed up a total team effort for the hosts who have won one and lost one at home with two to play.
Hashim Amla was adjudged Man of the Match an award he deserved for anchoring the innings and adding 76 runs in the final 5 overs of the Knight Riders innings.
They will now meet the Guyana Amazon Warriors tonight also at the Queen’s Park Oval while the Tridents will travel to St. Kitts and Nevis where they will take on the hosts, at Warner Park on Tuesday July 5.
