RBL CPL 2023: Royal resurrection as Athanaze leads Barbados to victory over Tallawahs

By Brandon Corlette

West Indies Test batsman Alick Athanze arrived at the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League with a match-winning 76 to lead Barbados Royals to their second win in five matches this season.
Royals defeated defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs by six wickets in match 14 at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Tallawahs had earlier posted 160-7 in 20 overs, while Royals scored 161-4 in 19 overs.

First ball of the Royals chase, with Mohammad Amir getting his usual movement with the ball, Rahkeem Cornwall was dropped at mid-off. He lived a charmed life with the bat while hitting two fours and one six. Tallawahs spinner made the breakthrough after Amir’s first spell of 2-1-1-0. Green trapped Mayers at the crease for four from 14 balls, while Imad Wasim removed Rahkeem Cornwall for 17.
Royals were 25-2 in 5.2 overs, and it was a slow innings, as the score reached 50 from 8.2 overs. Laurie Evans and Alick Athanaze started operation rebuild, and at the half-way stage, Royals were 69-2. Athanaze showed finesse early in his innings, while Evans rotated the strike.

Athanaze played the shot of the night when he reverse-sweep Wasim for a sweet maximum. The Dominican then tonked Wasim over mid-wicket the very next ball as he reached his fifty in 31 balls, and he continued to light up Kensington with his elegance.
Evans departed for a composed 30, ending the 89-run partnership with Athanaze that took Royals into safety. At 114-3, Royals required 47 from 27 balls. Captain Rovman Powell had a warm welcome by the vocal crowd. Athanaze was caught at fine-leg for 76 from 48 balls. His classy knock featured seven fours and three sixes.
Jason Holder and Rovman Powell ensured no further hiccups as Royals won by six wickets and one over to spare. Chris Green ended with good figures of 2-21 in his four overs.

Earlier, Barbados Royals won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Royals gave their home fans something to cheer about as they made early inroads. Hometown heroes Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder ran through the Tallawahs’ top-order. Holder had King caught for one, and Mayers had Kirk McKenzie caught for seven. The danger man Alex Hales from England had a short stay, scoring only 12 as Royals were 23-3 after 5.2 overs.
Raymon Reifer and Shamarh Brooks joined forces and took Royals to 57-3 after 10 overs. Reifer laboured during his 16 from 20 balls, and Qais Ahmad ended his misery by clearing his stumps away.
Brooks was the man who stepped up in the 54-run stand. At 77-4, Imad Wasim joined Brooks and the duo motored along. The Barbadian Brooks, who is plying his CPL trade with Jamaica Tallawahs, reached his fifty in 34 balls. He displayed ease and grace with his stroke-play. The classy right-hander Brooks struck four sweet sixes and seven fours. His innings ended when he was caught at wide-long-on for 78 from 41 balls.

After the 54-run stand with Brooks and Wasim had ended, Fabian Allen entered the arena at 131-5 in 16.5 overs. Wasim’s brisk 33 propelled Tallawahs to 160-7 in 20 overs. Holder was the best bowler with 2-19 in four overs.
The 2023 CPL continues tomorrow, Saturday September 2. Guyana Amazon Warriors men will play St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 10:00h, and Barbados Royals will play St Lucia Kings from 19:00h. Both matches will be played at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown Barbados.