Published: Jul 19, 2016, 10:50 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 19, 2016, 10:56 AM (IST)
A brilliant all-round display from Andre Russell helped Jamaica Tallawahs beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 19 runs in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2016. The West Indian all-rounder was at his mercurial best, scoring a quickfire 44 before ending with figures of 4 for 23 with the ball. The win lifted his side to the top of the table, with 11 points from seven matches. The visiting team, Trinbago, won the toss and put the hosts to bat. Tallawahs top-order batsmen found the going tough, but knocks of 44 from Rovman Powell and Russell propelled them to 158 for 7 in 20 overs. In reply, Trinbago batsmen struggled against the disciplined bowling unit, and could only amass 139 for 9 in their full quota of overs. ALSO READ: BT beat SLZ by 25 runs to gain third spot in CPL 2016 standings
Trinbago’s chase got off to a worst possible start, as dynamic opener Brendon McCullum was dismissed for 6 by Imad Wasim. Next up was one of the shining lights of CPL 2016, Colin Munro. But his stay was also short-lived, as a top edge of his bat went straight into the hands of Shakib Al Hasan.
Since then, Amla and William Perkins tried to stabilise the innings, but the latter was dismissed for 12 by Russell. Another small partnership followed, before Umar Akmal was caught at backward point of Shakib’s bowling. Amla soon departed for 42, leaving a humongous task ahead for Denesh Ramdin and skipper Dwayne Bravo. Despite Ramdin’s valiant effort, Trinbago fell short by 19 runs in the end.
Earlier, Tallawahs batsmen found it very tough early on, with skipper Chris Gayle dismissed for 0. His opening partner soon was removed for 16. It was the pairing of Kumar Sangakkara and Powell which steadied the ship, as the duo put on 72 for the third wicket. After their dismissal, Russell took charge, and with some luck, scored a 24-ball 44 which helped his side post a dependable 158 on the board.
(R Narayan is a reporter with CricketCountry, and is an ardent cricket and football enthusiast (big Manchester United fan). Having followed cricket since 2003, he likes high scoring matches as well as good fast bowling. His Twitter handle is @RNarayan24nov)
