BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Title-holders Trinbago Knight Riders capitalized on a ragged display from a lethargic Barbados Tridents, to power their way to a convincing seven-wicket victory here Saturday, and into third spot in the Caribbean Premier League standings.
Sent in, Tridents recovered from a sluggish start to rally to 172 for four off their 20 overs but Knight Riders hardly blinked as they easily chased down the target to win with 14 balls to spare at Kensington Oval.
They were propelled by New Zealander Colin Munro’s top score of 68 off 39 deliveries while Hashim Amla chipped in with a patient 31 and fellow opener William Perkins, 23.
Captain Dwayne Bravo arrived at the crease to bring a swift end to the lopsided contest, smashing two fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 23 off a mere 11 balls, to hand TKR a handsome win.
With the victory, they moved to six points, one point behind Jamaica Tallawahs in second, with Guyana Amazon Warriors top of the standings on ten points.
Tridents, meanwhile, remained on five points and slipped to fourth, ahead of Sunday’s clash with bottom placed St Lucia Zouks.
They had earlier needed 47 from Shoaib Malik, 45 from South African star AB de Villiers and a stroke-filled, unbeaten 41 from captain Kieron Pollard, to get up to their eventual score.
Shoaib and Steven Tayor (13) laboured over posting 38 off 41 balls for the first wicket and it took de Villiers and Pollard to kick-start the innings.
When the left-handed Taylor holed out to long-off off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-39) de Villiers arrived to anchor two key partnerships. He first put on 60 for the second wicket with Shoaib who faced 44 balls and struck five fours, before adding a further 49 with Pollard.
Shoaib was bowled in the 15th over by Bravo (2-31) and De Villiers struck five fours and a six off 32 balls before clubbing a full toss from Benn to Kevon Cooper at deep mid-wicket in the 18th over at 147 for three.
Pollard provided the late flourish, belting three fours and three sixes off a mere 20 balls, as Tridents finished strongly.
Runs then flowed from the outset as TKR’s batsmen took advantage of loose bowling and fielding. Amla and Perkins put on 29 off 25 balls and when the right-handed Perkins mis-timed a pull at pacer Wayne Parnell to be caught by Pollard at short mid-wicket, Munro entered to virtually put the game to bed.
The left-hander stroked two fours and six sixes to dominate a 107-run, second wicket stand with Amla, which erased any hopes of a Tridents victory.
He got off the mark with a four off Parnell and then followed up with a six, and punished seamer Navin Stewart with two consecutive sixes in the 14th over which leaked 16 runs.
Munro and Amla fell in successive overs to leave TKR on 146 for three but Bravo wasted little time in hastening the end.
