By Brandon Corlette in St Lucia
A career-best T20 knock from South African Corbin Bosch ensured Barbados Royals won four from four in the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The Royals won by six wickets against St Lucia Kings in Match 11, played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
Royals ended on 175-4 in 18.3 overs, on the back of Bosch’s 81 from 50 balls while Kings had posted 169-6 in 20 overs batting first.
In the chase of 170, Barbados Royals lost Quinton de Kock for a golden duck when he edged a Roston Chase delivery behind at 7-1. Kyle Mayers, who got going with a straight six off Chase, continued his rich vein of form.
together to take Kings to a good total
He was joined by Bosch and the duo took Royals past 50 in the fifth over, with some timely boundaries, posting 67-1 in the powerplay. The 27-year-old South African, who is yet to play international cricket, reached his maiden T20 fifty from 23 balls.
Mayers was then dismissed for a 26-ball 33, which had three sixes. He and Bosch added 84 runs for the second wicket, a partnership that set the tone for the chase. Azam Khan came and went for 13; he was removed by the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Alzarri Joseph at 117-3 in 12.1 overs.
Bosch’s bossy innings of 81 came off 50 balls and included 10 fours and one six. He was caught at deep mid-wicket to give Joseph his third wicket of the match, ending with 3-32 from four overs. Captain David Miller ensured no further hiccups as Royals closed out the match.
Earlier, the Barbados Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first. Kings openers Niroshan Dickwella and Johnson Charles showed early intent, playing some brave shots. Dickwella was the first dismissed, caught for 18 at 31-1 at the end of four overs. Captain Faf du Plessis laboured for his seven from 10 balls, and he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Justin Greaves.
The sound of a pin dropping would have echoed at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground after Charles held out to Jason Holder at long-on for a 25-ball 29. He struck two sixes and three fours, exiting the crease at 63-3 in 8.2 overs.
Wickets continued to fall for Kings despite a glimpse of Mark Deyal’s touch. Chase was removed by Oshane Thomas for 10, while Deyal made 21. The little Trinidadian was caught by a diving Greaves. The Kings had lost half of their side for 90 runs, in 12.5 overs, and a strong finish was required for the home team.
