By: T. Chapman
Jamaica’s chance to win a third CPL trophy came to a halt with just one delivery to spare as the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots successfully chased down 191 to win by two (2) wickets.
Patriots having won the toss sent in the Tallawahs and capitalized early with the wicket of Johnson Charles. He went with the score on 9.
A valuable partnership from Ross Taylor and Glen Phillips ensured Tallawahs posted a good score. Ross Taylor made 33 while Phillips score 103 off 63 deliveries; they were the main contributors.
Some good death bowling from Carlos Brathwaite, Tabrais Shamsi, and Ben Cutting, stopped the score from going over the 200.
With the odds stacked against them, Anton Devcich, delivered enterprising 50 off 23 deliveries; first batting with Rassi van der Dussen, 20 from 22, and then Fabian Allen, 23 from 10. They managed to score over 50 runs in just three of the 20 overs.
Brandon King also contributed 21 from just eight deliveries, striking three sixes in the innings.
It was still anybody’s game as Russell and Thomas bowled well enough to curb the rapid scoring. Thomas picked up some important wickets as he ended with figures of 3/43. Steven Jacobs bagged 1/31 in his four overs.
With 7 wickets down, Rovman Powell who had not bowled a ball all innings was tasked with stopping Ben Cutting and Carlos Brathwaite from scoring 15 runs in the final over.
A six by Brathwaite off the second delivery eased preasure off the patriots. However, next ball the big right-hander was caught on the boundary in stunning fashion by Russell.
Hayden Walsh came to crease but it would be Ben Cutting versus Powell.
The pressure mounted as Powell bowled a couple of deliveries well outside offstump at full length and had Cutting missing. Rattled by a wide called by the umpire, Powell followed up with three other wide deliveries.
Requiring just five runs off two balls, Powell then served up a length ball, which was struck well beyond the midwicket boundary for six with a ball still left to spare.
The Patriots will now face the Trinbago Knight Riders the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.
