Knight Riders made to wait after slipping against Patriots
LAUDERHILL, Florida (CMC) – Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) missed out on a chance to confirm their place in the playoffs of the Caribbean Premier League when they suffered a 34-run upset at the hands of lowly St Kitts and Nevis Patriots here last Friday night.
Chasing 181 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, the defending champions slumped to 146 all out with two overs to spare, to remain stuck in fourth place on eight points with a single game remaining.
Leaders Jamaica Tallawahs and the second placed Guyana Amazon Warriors have already qualified for the playoffs, with third placed St Lucia Zouks, Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents vying for the last two spots.
Playing in the second game of the historic Florida leg, TKR got a top score of 46 from Colin Munro and 33 from Hashim Amla, but they were two of only three to reach double figures as the batting collapsed.
New Zealander Brendon McCullum’s nightmare run continued when he fell for one in the second over but Munro anchored two successive partnerships to keep the innings going.
He faced 28 balls and struck two fours and three sixes, adding 27 with Amla for the second wicket and a further 31 with Ramnaresh Sarwan (9) for the third wicket.
However, once Munto perished at 103 for four in the 13th over – lbw to a low full toss from left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie, TKR surrendered their last six wickets for 43 runs to crumble.
They lost wickets in clusters with Umar Akmal (5) and Denesh Ramdin falling to leg-spinner Samuel Badree in successive deliveries in the 14th over, and captain Dwayne Bravo (9) and Kevon Cooper (0) also departing in successive balls to Santokie in the 16th over.
Santokie (3-27) and fellow left-armer Sheldon Cottrell (3-35) both finished with three wickets apiece while Badree claimed two for 30.
Earlier, opener Evin Lewis plundered a remarkable 79 from just 40 balls as Patriots, sent in, posted 180 for five from their 20 overs, to lay the foundation for only their second win of the tournament.
The left-hander smashed four fours and eight sixes, and put on 65 for the first wicket with JJ Smuts who made 16.
Patriots received a late flourish in an unbroken 58-run, sixth wicket stand between Shamarh Brooks, who slammed a 19-ball 35, and Devon Thomas, who scored 27 from 24 deliveries.
