POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, CMC – Barbadian club Maple suffered at the hands of Kieron Pollard’s all-round performance, losing by eight wickets to Queen’s Park in the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Twenty20 Club Champions League on Sunday night.
Pollard, a member of the West Indies team for the three-match One-Day International NatWat series against England later this month, grabbed 2-10 as the local side restricted Maple to 127-8 from their allotted overs.
Trinidad & Tobago left-arm spinner Imran Khan also chipped in with 2-7.
The right-handed Pollard, who has played 13 ODIs for West Indies, then slammed 40 to guide Queen’s Park to 128-2 off 17.1 overs.
Openers Justin Guillen (14) and Runako Morton (17) were quick off the blocks posting 26 but Maple made a double strike to reduce them to 36-2.
The hard-hitting pair of Pollard and Daron Cruickshank, who top scored with an unbeaten 51, then added an unbroken 92 for the third wicket off just 70 balls, to give Queen’s Park the valuable win.
Cruickshank cracked four fours and a six off 44 balls while Pollard’s 40 required 29 balls including four fours and one five.
Earlier, Kirk Edwards top scored with 36 as Maple slipped badly after winning the toss and opting to take first strike.