BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – A stunning Faf du Plessis century brought St Kitts and Nevis Patriots unbeaten run to an end as St Lucia Kings stormed to an emphatic 100-run victory in the opening match of the doubleheader here yesterday.
Under pressure following scores of 0, 10, 14 and 2, the South African struck form with an unbeaten 120 off 60 deliveries – his first hundred in T20 franchise cricket – to propel Kings to 224 for two off their 20 overs.
The right-hander slammed 13 fours and five sixes and featured in a superb 124-run, unbroken third wicket stand with Roston Chase who followed up his Man-of-the-Match 85 in the last game with an unbeaten 64 off 31 deliveries.
In reply, Patriots were bundled out for 124 in the 17th over, with left-handed opener Evin Lewis top-scoring with 73 off 42 deliveries.
South African Faf du Plessis drives through the off-side during his superb hundred on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CPL Media)
They were 82 for two nearing the half-way stage but lost their last seven wickets for just 42 runs with captain Dwayne Bravo unable to bat due to groin strain which had earlier prevented him from completing a fourth over.
Seamers Keemo Paul (3-23) and Alzarri Joseph (3-27) finished with three wickets apiece.
The victory was the second on the trot for Kings and pushed them up to second on six points, four points adrift of Patriots at the top.
Sent in, Kings got a whirlwind start from captain du Plessis and vice-captain Andre Fletcher, the pair posting 76 off 44 balls to put Patriots on the defensive.
Fletcher hit a four and a six in 23 off 19 before falling in the eighth over but du Plessis shone with Chase, who punched seven fours and three sixes, as Kings gathered 71 off the last five overs.
Du Plessis marched to his fifty off 25 balls in the seventh over and reached three figures in the 16th over, with a couple to deep mid-wicket of leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed.
“It was a brilliant innings knowing that he started badly in the tournament,” said Fletcher.
“He was a bit under pressure and also he wasn’t feeling that well but to know that he came out and fought for the team, trust me we couldn’t ask for anything better.”
He added: “With 224, any team going out to field would be very confident but at the same time we know how dangerous the St Kitts Patriots batting lineup is, and it was just for us to go out and execute.
“Our bowlers bowled very well and I just want to praise them for that.”
Joseph handed Kings a great start by knocking over Devon Thomas (2) and veteran Chris Gayle (14) in successive overs to reduce the innings to 22 for two in the third over.
Lewis then belted five fours and half-dozen sixes to dominate a 60-run, third wicket stand with Ravi Bopara (4) but once the latter perished at the start of the 10th over, the run chase fell apart.
