KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Andre Russell dispelled any doubts about his fitness with a brilliant all-round performance that fired Jamaica Tallawahs to a 19-run victory over Trinbago Knight Riders, and put them top of the Caribbean Premier League standings for the first time this season.
Playing at Sabina Park on Monday night, Tallawahs rallied to 158 for seven off their 20 over, with Russell striking the joint top score of 44 off 24 deliveries.
Rookie Rovman Powell helped power Tallawahs with 44 off 34 balls while Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara chipped in with 23.
Seamer Kevon Cooper was superb in his four-over spell, claiming three for 23 while captain and fellow pacer Dwayne Bravo finished with two for 39.
In reply, Knight Riders were hurt by the loss of early wickets and never really recovered, finishing on 139 for eight.
Seamer Russell was the architect of the visitors’ downfall, grabbing four for 23 from his four overs while South African fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed two for 21.
Hashim Amla top-scored with 42 off 36 balls and West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin got 31 off 24 deliveries but no other batsman made it past 15.
The victory saw Guyana Amazon Warriors displaced for the top spot, slipping to second on ten points with Tallawahs now one point clear.
Sent in, Tallawahs’ start was less than impressive, as they stumbled to 19 for two in the fourth over. Captain Chris Gayle fell without scoring in the second over, edging a defensive, back-foot prod off Cooper through to Ramdin and Chadwick Walton was run out for 16 by Sulieman Benn’s throw from mid-on, after hesitating over a single with Sangakkara.
Powell and Sangakkara then repaired the Tallawahs innings with a 72-run, third wicket stand. The inexperienced Powell was the aggressor, belting two fours and four sixes while the veteran Sangakkara struck a four and a six.
Both fell to Cooper in the space of three deliveries in the 13th over, sparking a slide which saw four wickets tumble for 28 runs, and the innings then needed Russell’s bold hitting to find momentum.
The right-hander, who has struggled with his fitness recently, smashed five fours and three sixes in helping to add 39 for the seventh wicket with Timroy Allen, who was five not out at the end.
TKR slumped to 19 for two in the fourth over in reply, losing New Zealanders Brendon McCullum (6) and Colin Munro (1) cheaply in successive overs.
McCullum’s nightmare run continued when he charged left-armer Imad Wasim and was stumped in the second over, and Munro was taken at cover by Shakib al Hasan off Steyn, off a leading edge.
Right-hander McCullum has scored a dismal 54 runs from five innings in the tournament.
William Perkins (12) and Umar Akmal (11) then also perished cheaply to leave TKR floundering at 60 for four at the end of the 10th over, requiring nearly ten runs an over to overhaul their target.
South African Amla led the revival, punching two fours and two sixes, in posting 44 for the fifth wicket with Ramdin, who counted a four and two sixes in his knock.
But once Amla picked out Allen at deep cover off seamer Kesrick Williams in the 15th over, TKR lost five wickets for 24 runs as Russell crippled the innings.
