Chase’s all-round heroics in vain, as Tallawahs defeat Kings in CPL 2023 opener

By Brandon Corlette in St Lucia

All-rounder Roston Chase played a top-notch innings and picked up three wickets, but Jamaica Tallawahs held their nerve to register an 11-run win against St Lucia Kings in the first match of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBL CPL), played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia.

On the back of Brandon King’s brilliant 81, Jamaica Tallawahs posted 187 all out in their 20 overs, while Kings recorded 176-8 in their 20 overs. In the St Lucia Kings’ chase, rain interrupted proceedings with the score on 13-0 after 1.1 overs; however, the match resumed at 21:30h with no overs lost. After Johnson Charles was dropped again by the Tallawahs, he became the leading run-scorer in the history of CPL cricket, posting a score that surpassed that of former leading run-scorer Lendl Simmons.

Faf du Plessis, meanwhile, failed to clear long-on, and was dismissed for nine, with the score at 25-1 in 3.1 overs. Charles’s struggles ended when he was caught for 24 made from 22 balls, and with the score at 57-2 in 7.3 overs.
Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams and Chase then joined forces, and the cautious duo ensured no further hiccups at the half-way stage, with Kings on 74-2. Williams looked to accelerate the scoring, but was removed for 26 by Chris Green, when the score was at 90-3 in 11.1 overs.

Pakistani spinner Imad Wasim turned the game with two important strikes in the 14th over. He removed dangerman Sikandar Raza for 04, and Kimani Melius for a golden duck. Kings required 84 runs in 36 balls, and Chase was the key.
The big Barbadian Primus came displaying power, and took the equation down to 32 needed from 12 balls, but was run out for 37; and with 19 needed from six balls, Chase remained the key. Chase was eventually dismissed by Salam Irshad for a 31-ball 53, which had three sixes and four fours. After that wicket, that was all she wrote, as Irshad closed off the game. Wasim ended with 3-27 from his quota.
St Lucia Kings had earlier won the toss and elected to bowl first. King and Kirk McKenzie had a good start, contributing 44 runs for the first wicket. The duo survived some close calls, but McKenzie had a brain fade, as he spooned a Roston Chase delivery to mid-on.

McKenzie made a promising 20 from 11 balls, while Chase tasted success with the first ball he bowled in CPL 2023.
King, who continued from where he had left off against India, played some delightful shots to take Tallawahs at the end of the powerplay to 47-1. He stood firm, but wickets tumbled around him. Chase removed his countrymen Shamarh Brooks for 12 and Raymon Reifer for 16. The Kings dropped some catches, and King demonstrated his royal touch in a one-man show that cost the Kings somewhat, as Captain King dominated in a 77-run stand with Reifer.
King slammed nine classy fours and three thumping sixes in his 54-ball 81, but the Tallawahs lost their way in the end, as their innings included three run-outs.
Chase ended with 3-39 from four goodly overs, but Alzarri Joseph was impressive with his express pace that claimed 2-21 in four overs. Apart from McKenzie’s 20 and King’s 81, no other Tallawahs’ batter passed 20.
The second match of the 2023 RBL CPL will bowl off today at 19:00h, with St Lucia Kings taking on Barbados Royals at the same venue.