Patriots aiming for first win against buoyant Zouks

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016

Hosts St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots will be aiming for their first win of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) when they face the formidable St. Lucia Zouks today at Warner Park from 16:00h.

The Patriots have not gotten off to the most desirable of starts on home turf in the six-team tournament, losing a cliffhanger against the Guyana Amazon Warriors and then falling to the Jamaica Tallawahs.

The Patriots batting line-up boats some of the top T20 players worldwide, with Captain Faf du Plessis, Lendl Simmons, Brad Hodge, Evin Lewis and all-rounders , Thisara Perera and Carlos Braithwaite all capable of posting big totals.

Their bowling on the other hand, is in more than capable hands, as the top-ranked Samuel Badree, Krishmar Santokie and Tabraiz Shamsi are all experienced customers in this version of the game.

The key for the Patriots today will be making sure that they find a way to apply the finishing touches when in tight situations.

The Zouks team on the other hand will not be short of confidence, as they defeated the defending champions, Trinbago Knight Riders in the opening match of the tournament, in a complete team performance.

Zouks’ coach Stuart Williams was in buoyant mood when reflecting on his team’s preparation for this tournament and their victory in their opening fixture against the Knight Riders.

“I think we had a good (training) week in St Lucia. Trevor Penney, my assistant, did a lot of work with the guys and it showed in the first game. It was rained out on practice [in Trinidad] but our preparation from St Lucia got us through. We started well so we are just looking to continue and to take one game at a time.

“Every time you win you get confidence, these guys are very relaxed, that is what T20 is supposed to be, good fun and entertaining, and they are ready to go tomorrow.”

Williams is delighted with the team he has this year, but feels that the Hero CPL has talent everywhere so isn’t getting over confident.

“If you have a team with (Shane) Watson, (David) Miller, Johnson Charles and (Andre) Fletcher then I think we can match up with any team in the CPL, but saying that the overseas players are evenly distributed. When you look at the Patriots; Faf du Plessis, Brad Hodge, Lendl Simmons, these guys are excellent players.”

ST. LUCIA ZOUKS: David Miller, Shane Watson, Darren Sammy (captain), Michael Hussey, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Morne Morkel, Denesh Ramdin (to be replaced by Miguel Cummins after 11 July), Derone Davis, Grant Elliott, Kristopher Ramsaran, Shane Shillingford, Delorn Johnson, Kyle Mayers, Keddy Lesporis, Nitish Kumar, Gidron Pope.

ST KITTS & NEVIS PATRIOTS: Lendl Simmons, Faf du Plessis (captain), Samuel Badree, Carlos Brathwaite, Brad Hodge, Thisara Perera, Jonathan Carter, Krishmar Santokie, Evin Lewis, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kieran Powell, JJ Smuts, Devon Thomas, Shamarh Brooks, Tino Best, Jeremiah Louis, Nikhil Dutta, Alzarri Joseph.