Glen Phillips batted throughout the Jamaica Tallawahs innings to score the fourth century of the 2018 HERO Caribbean Premier League but it was not enough as St Kitts Patriots booked their spot in tomorrow’s semi-final
with a two wicket win at the Providence National Stadium last night.
Phillips’ efforts were undone by a half century from Anton Devcich, a six off of the penultimate ball of the innings by Ben Cutting and four wides in the same over by Rovman Powell which sealed the Tallawahs fate and set up a semi-final clash between the Patriots and the Trinbago Knight Riders.
Tallawahs lost the toss and were sent in to take first strike, climbing to 191-5, the highest total at the ground.
However, the total proved insufficient as Patriots replied with 193-8 winning with a ball to spare.
Earlier, Phillips got his team off the mark with a boundary from the first ball of the innings.
Fabien Allen would respond by dismissing Johnson Charles whose poor run continued with a sliced shot to gully.
Phillips and Ross Taylor then added 70 for the second wicket before Taylor was bowled by Ben Cutting.
Phillips was especially brutal on Cutting, smashing him for 14 runs in the 14th over, in the process bringing up the team’s century as well as his half century and becoming the third batsman to go past 400 runs in the tournament.
Rovman Powell tried to follow suit but found himself unable to clear the long on boundary and picked out Cutting. He made 15 and his dismissal ended a 39-run stand from just three overs.
Phillips was given a life when Cutting failed to hold on to a simple catch straight down the ground which could have removed Phillips for 79.
Patriots managed to contain the dangerous Tallawahs captain Andre Russell for just 10 but nevertheless, his side progressed to 150-4 at the 16th over mark.
Phillips duly switched gear and showed his wide range of shots scooping a Carlos Brathwaite delivery for a four behind the ‘keeper before smashing another delivery over mid-wicket for six to move to 97.
The 21-year-old New Zealander became the fourth batsman in this tournament to score a century with a punch through backward point for four.
Philips’ 103 came from 63 balls and included nine fours and six sixes. He was bowled by Cutting off the last ball of the innings.
Patriots’ chase got off to a woeful start as they lost Devon Thomas in the second over, pulling a low full toss from local boy Steven Jacobs into the hands of deep mid-wicket for 13.
Patriots crawled and picked up the odd boundaries to reach 41-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Rassie Van der Dussen, climbing tall on one foot, pulled a short ball by Russell into the fine leg region for four while Gayle launched an Ish Sodhi delivery straight back for a six to bring up the team’s 50.
The partnership that looked destructive was broken as Sodhi struck twice in the 10th over with Van der Dussen edging a delivery into the air and was caught by Philips for 20 while Chris Gayle lofted a Sodi delivery two balls later into Powell’s safe hands at long on for 26 to leave Patriots with a lot to do at 62-3 at the halfway mark. Anton Devcich and Allen revived the innings, sharing in a half century stand which was brought up with a six off of Jacobs over long off by Allen in the 13th over that went for 21 runs.
Russell then pulled off a spectacular diving catch to swing the game back in the favour of Tallawahs as Allen fell for 23 from just 10 balls.
With Brandon King dispatching his first two deliveries for sixes, the 15th over went for 17 runs to bring the equation down to 50 from the last five overs. Man-of-the-Match, Devcich brought up his half century from 22 balls with a glance down to third man for a quick single to keep his side in the battle.
Despite being hit for a six off his first ball, Oshane Thomas returned to dismiss the two set batsmen with King dragging one on to the stumps while Devcich was caught by Philips for 50, with five fours and a two sixes to leave Patriots needing 34 from 19 balls.
Two catches by Russell to remove Evin Lewis and Carlos Brathwaite was all it took to have the Jamaican supporters feel the match was theirs.
But Cutting hit the penultimate ball into the stands at long on for a six and a Powell delivery went for four wides and suddenly the match was snatched from the Tallawahs by the Patriots who will now take on Knight Riders tomorrow in Trinidad and Tobago.
Quick scores: St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots 193-8 (Anton Devcich 50, Ish Sodhi 3-36) beat
Jamaica Tallawahs 191-5 (Glen Phillips 103, Ben Cutting 2-45) by two wickets
