JAMAICA Tallawahs lost to title-holders Barbados Tridents by 17 runs in the Hero Caribbean Premier League match at Sabina Park last night.

After the Tridents made 146-7, the Tallawahs, the 2013 champions, were unable to cope against the disciplined visitors and were restricted for 129-7.

It was the Tallawahs’ first loss at home this season, and only their second defeat in nine CPL matches at Sabina Park.

Gayle, leading the run-scoring chart in the 2015 CPL, was dismissed by pacer Ravi Rampaul for 14.

Then left-arm spinner Robin Peterson took over the show, dampening the spirits of the sell-out crowd at the venue, while dismissing Chris Lynn (13), Mahela Jayawardene (zero) and Jermaine Blackwood (two) in his first over.

A fifth-wicket partnership of 67 between Chadwick Walton (46) and Nkrumah Bonner, who made 31 not out, steadied the ship for the Tallawahs, but in the end the target proved too steep for the hosts.

Earlier, Barbados Tridents won the toss and chose to bat first on a surface that has hosted three games over the last five days.

The openers Dwayne Smith (27) and Dilshan Munaweera (18) got off to a positive start against the Tallawahs left-arm medium pacer Krishmar Santokie and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori. The Tridents’ enterprise saw them race to 31 runs off the opening four overs.

But the introduction of quicker bowlers Jerome Taylor and Juan ‘Rusty’ Theron changed the tide as wickets fell and the runs dried up.

The Tridents Captain Kieron Pollard ensured the total was a still a reasonable one. On either side of a 59-minute break caused by a power outage and a passing drizzle, Pollard unfurled a series of big shots down the ground, accumulating five fours and three sixes in his 37-ball 59 not out.

Seamer Andre Russell took 2-18 for the Tallawahs.

The Tallawahs will next face Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Sabina Park venue today in a 4:00 pm start. The Tridents’ next outing will be versus Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in Port of Spain on July 16.

–Sanjay Myers