KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC — Krishmar Santokie and rookie, fellow fast bowler Oshane Thomas followed up Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara’s third straight half-century with incisive bowling to lead Jamaica Tallawahs to a 41-run victory over St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots on Wednesday and a place in the Caribbean Premier League playoffs.
Santokie grabbed 3-10 from 3.5 overs and Thomas snared 3-31 from his allotted four overs to earn the Player-of-the-Match award, as the Patriots were bowled out for 116 in 17.5 overs in pursuit of a victory target of 158 in the 26th match of the tournament at Sabina Park.
Sangakkara had continued his rich vein of form after the Tallawahs were sent in to bat, smashing four fours and three sixes in 69 from 55 balls to be the rock upon which his side built their total of 157 for five from their allocation of 20 overs.
Thomas then rocked the Patriots, when he trapped Jamaica-born talisman Chris Gayle lbw for a third-ball duck in the first over, but West Indies opener Evin Lewis and Pakistan star Mohammad Hafeez got them moving with a stand of 43 for the second wicket.
Lewis fell caught and bowled to Mohammad Sami, another Pakistani star, for the top score of 40 off the last ball of the sixth over and this triggered a steady decline for the Patriots, as they reached 80 for four at the halfway point.
Hafeez made 21 and Devon Thomas was the only other double-figure contributor with 14, as the visitors lost their last six wickets for 30 in the space of 44 balls.
Earlier, Sangakkara eased the concerns of the Tallawahs, after opener Lendl Simmons was bowled for a duck with the first ball of the match from left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell.
Sangakkara shared 81 for the second wicket with Phillips that provided the base for the innings and added a further 54 with West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell for the fourth wicket before he was caught at fine leg in the penultimate over off former Australia fast bowler ben Hilfenhaus.
Phillips made 31 from 32 balls and Powell led the late charge with 43 from 26 balls that included two fours and three sixes.
