BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Ashley Nurse bagged four for 14 as Barbados Tridents registered a 12-run win over Antigua Hawksbills to record their second straight win in the inaugural Caribbean Premier League at the Kensington Oval here Thursday night.
But it was Man-of-the-Match Shakib Al-Hassan who dented the advance of the Hawksbills with figures of one for 16 off four overs that helped curtail the exploits of their top order. Opener Johnson Charles with five fours and one six off 36 balls was their leading scorer. Shakib accounted for the experienced Ricky Ponting, caught at first slip by Ashley Nurse for one.
Ben Rohrer and captain Marlon Samuels both scored 23 but neither ever got going against the Tridents. Kemar Roach struck two consecutive sixes in the last over bowled by Nurse but the game was already out of the reach of the Hawksbills who needed 14 off the last two balls. Rayad Emrit bowled with great control finishing with two for 25.
Deciding to bat first Shoaib Malik was again Trident’s highest run scorer, striking 33 off 30 balls before being caught at deep mid wicket by Gavin Tonge off the bowling of left arm orthodox spinner Dave Mohammed.
Opener Jonathan Carter struck 31 but provided Devon Thomas with one of four catches in the innings. Carter’s 31 off 29 balls saw Barbados Tridents losing their second wicket with 53 on the board. Wicket-keeper Umar Akmal 30 and captain Kieron Pollard 18 had crucial knocks as wickets fell in quick succession after Akmal’s departure.
Akmal and Pollard both fell to Sheldon Cotterrell who finished with two for 36. Samuels was more economical with two for 17 from four overs. As many as 30 runs came off the final two overs. Thomas, who started in the field, held the gloves for a brief moment as Charles went to the bathroom. He then conceded 15 runs bowling the 19th over despite picking up the wicket of Kyle Mayers, caught by Samuels for one run.
