TKR send Patriots packing after Simmons, Narine heroics

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2019…
By Brandon Corlette

Having suffered five successive defeats, defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) defied all odds by storming into Qualifier 2 of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), in the process trashing the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by six wickets in the eliminator at Providence.

After Patriots had posted 125-7, TKR, on the back of Lendl Simmons’s half-century and a “player-of-the-match” effort from Sunil Narine, who bowled 19 dot balls, knocked Patriots out of the tournament.

TKR halts Patriots
Under overcast skies, the Patriots had a slow start after TKR asked them to bat first. In their cautious approach, they scored 30 runs in the power play, the seamers getting seam movement.

Mohammad Hafeez was the first to be dismissed, with the score on 22-1, as he attempted to take on Ali Khan. West Indies Test batsman Shamarh Brooks played an exquisite cut shot off Chris Jordan, but had his stumps shattered the following ball.
At 30-2, Brooks departed but the return of Sunil Narine for TKR had an immediate impact. Narine had movement on the fresh Providence wicket, and Evin Lewis gifted his wicket away, after the ball stopped on him. Lewis had faced 17 balls for his nine runs, as Patriots further slipped to 30-3.

Evans anchored Patriots to perfection
The overcast skies cleared up at Providence, but the Laurie Evans storm came upon TKR. Evans was the aggressor, creating width and finding the gaps with ease. After the first two matches had been played on the same pitch, the playoff matches were played on the western pitch, which proved to offer more spin. The Englishman Evans adjusted well and dealt with the heavy TKR spin attack.
Thomas, who scored a half-century on his previous visit at Providence, played the supporting role in the 51-run partnership. After the duo had brought up the half-century run partnership in 42 balls, Thomas fell for a 16-ball 10.
With the score on 81-4 after 14 overs, Captain Carlos Brathwaite partnered Evans, and the classy right-hander reached his milestone from 43 balls with a tickle to fine leg, but he fell to Ali Khan for a 47-ball 55. His innings included eight elegant fours.
Brathwaite continued his inconsistent performances, holding out to the deep fielder after scoring only three. After Evans had departed with the score on 108-6 in 18.1 overs, the Patriots were expecting a big finish from Fabian Allen, but TKR finished on a high after Allen’s failure with the bat.

Patriots ended on 125-7 in 20 overs. Jordan ended with 3-30, while Narine, who was still not fully recovered, bowled 19 dot balls and picked up 2-10 in four overs. Khan picked up 2-22 in three overs.

Simmons stands tall
After putting up their most collective bowling effort of the season, TKR lost three wickets in the power play with the score on 31-3. Narine hit two boundaries, but found the deep backward square fielder, to hand Alzarri Joseph his first wicket.
It soon became 16-2 when Providence saw the first salute from Sheldon Cottrell. The left-arm quickie, who destroyed the stumps with one that nipped back, removed Munro for a duck.

As leading run-scorer for the CPL this season, Lendl Simmons watched the third wicket fall from the non-striker’s end. He lost a partner in Darren Bravo, who faced 10 balls for one and was Rayad Emrit’s first victim in a maiden over.
Simmons, who hit the first six of the match, along with Denesh Ramdin took the score to 43-3 after 10 overs. Patriots, at the half-way stage of their innings, were 54-3.
After a 47-run partnership between the duo, Simmons braced Brathwaite for a six to reach his half-century in 47 balls, but the shot held out to Evans at wide long on.

Ramdin, Pollard add finishing touches

Ramdin had a slow start, but shifted gears quickly with Pollard, who smashed three sixes in the unbeaten 50-run partnership which came from 18 balls. Pollard took the sword to Brathwaite, smashing the winning runs that went to the boundary in a flash.
Ramdin remained unbeaten on 32 runs from 38 balls as he anchored the innings with Simmons, while Pollard was at his explosive best with 26 from nine balls. TKR ended victorious on 128-4 in 18.4 overs.