GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Barbados Royals marched to their third straight win to remain unbeaten in the men’s Caribbean Premier League, after half-centuries from David Miller and Kyle Mayers laid the foundation for the result before rain ended the contest abruptly with Trinbago Knight Riders on the ropes.
Asked to bat in the first game of the St Lucia leg of the tournament at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, captain Miller lashed 60 from 36 balls and the irrepressible Mayers 52 from 33 deliveries, as Royals reached 194 for four off their 20 overs.
In reply, part-time off-spinner Devon Thomas (2-4) grabbed a couple of wickets in his only over while seamers Obed McCoy (2-11) and Oshane Thomas (2-18) added braces, to send TKR tumbling to 51 for seven from eight overs.
Rain, which had earlier forced a 20-minute break in the innings, then returned to end the game prematurely, handing Royals a convincing 80-run win under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.
Royals are now one of two unbeaten teams in the competition, the other being Jamaica Tallawahs who have played a game less.
Left-hander Mayers extended his rich vein of form, punching five fours and four sixes to post his second half-century in three outings, as he put on 85 for the first wicket with Quinton de Kock who made 44 from 34 deliveries with a half-dozen fours.
When Mayers departed to a catch at point off Andre Russell in the 10th over, de Kock added a further 35 for the second wicket with fellow South African Miller, who gave the back end of the innings impetus by inspiring a 58-run, third-wicket stand with Azam Khan (18).
Left-hander Miller belted five fours and two sixes before perishing at the end of the penultimate over, skying a Ravi Rampaul full toss to mid-wicket.
TKR struggled from the outset, with Sunil Narine (7) losing his middle stump to Thomas at the start of the second over and Colin Munro (12) top-edging seamer Jason Holder to the wicketkeeper in the next over.
Opener Tion Webster (7) holed out to point off McCoy’s first delivery in the fourth over at 27 for three but it was Thomas who broke the backbone of the TKR batting, removing Tim Seifert (1) and captain Kieron Pollard (1) to catches at the wicket in the fifth over.
