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Barbados Tridents vs Northern Knights, Match 20, CLT20 2014: Barbados register 6-wicket win in final group match

James Franklin, Ravi Rampaul guide Barbados to their maiden win of the tournament.

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James Franklin's knock of 33 from 25 balls guide the Barbados Tridents to a six-wicket victory over the Northern Knights © Getty Images (File Photo)
James Franklin’s knock of 33 from 25 balls guide the Barbados Tridents to a six-wicket victory over the Northern Knights © Getty Images (File Photo)

By Freddie Wilde

Sep 30, 2014

The group stage of the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) came to a close today as the Barbados Tridents finally recorded a victory beating the Northern Knights by six wickets in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

 

The Northern Knights total of 135 was below par but they would’ve held hopes of victory with a strong bowling attack facing off against a weak batting order, thus it is to the Tridents credit that they fought hard to overcome the total with eight balls and six wickets to spare.

 

The loss for the Knights ends their campaign that started so brightly but has ended in disappointing fashion with three consecutive losses. The chief reason for such a decline has been a radical dip in the form of the batsmen, twice being bowled out for under 100 and managing just 135 in their final match against the Tridents. Their bowling, packed with international talent in Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi and Scott Styris, is far more reliable than their batting which proved heavily reliant on Kane Williamson and Anton Devcich—the former of whom’s form tailed off as the tournament progressed scoring just three, 20 and one in his final three innings having scored one century and a fifty previously.

 

Along with the Lahore Lions, the Northern Knights are a template to follow for the likes of the Tridents, Southern Express and the Dolphins—who, ravaged by the loss of star players to Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash League (BBL) teams, were unable to compete with merely homegrown players alone. In contrast, the Lions and the Knights were both entirely homegrown with not a single “international” player in their squad. Of course if you have international players in your domestic league then have them taken when it comes to the CLT20 it is more difficult to give opportunities to players from your own system but with a unparalleled prize-pot of $6 million to win in the Champions League teams would be foolish to not aim for it as a target.

 

The Lions and the Knights could not really be more different. The Lions’ success is founded on raw talent, natural brilliance and flair—the Knights’ success in contrast, although based in some talent, is founded on professionalism, athleticism and know-how. They’re a side who generally field well, are disciplined with the ball and bat with responsibility and maturity. If anything such varied success is encouraging for other teams seeking to replicate their success; you can succeed without international talent and without millions of pounds—admittedly, neither team made it through to the semi-final stage, but no other competing teams looked as likely as they did.

 

The Champions League has yet again been dominated by IPL and to an extent BBL teams, but for those that have watched closely, the efforts of the Lahore Lions and Northern Knights will not be forgotten.

Complete coverage of Champions League T20 (CLT20) 2014 here

(Freddie Wilde is a freelance cricket writer. You can follow him @fwildecricket)

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