Saint Lucia, Sep 8 (IANS): Saint Lucia Kings grabbed a nail-biting victory against Jamaica Tallawahs in front of their home crowd. That helped them get their 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign up and running.
The Kings won the toss and opted to field first and their bowlers obliged with a disciplined performance with the ball and the fielding was excellent. Wickets fell at regular intervals to ensure the Tallawahs were restricted to 163 for 8.
In reply, the Tallawahs played the Kings at their own game by taking regular wickets. Mohammed Amir's early double-wicket over rocked the Kings but Johnson Charles' excellent half-century kept the home side, St Lucia, in the game. When David Wiese came to the crease he marshalled the chase superbly to get the Kings their first win of the tournament.
Asked to bat first the Tallawahs made heavy weather of their innings and lost too many wickets in the Powerplay. Kennar Lewis, Shamarh Brooks and Rovman Powell all fell to leave the Tallawahs at 47 for 3 at the end of the first six overs. Then, when Brandon King was run out courtesy of brilliant fielding from Jeavor Royal, the Tallawahs were reeling at 62 for 4.
However, Imad Wasim and Raymon Reifer rebuilt the innings and set it up for some late-over plundering in the final four overs to ensure the Tallawahs set a challenging 164 to win.
While chasing the Kings, too, struggled in the Powerplay. They lost four wickets in the first seven overs to leave them in disarray at 39 for 4 but Tim David and Johnson Charles counter-attacked well to put the Kings' side ahead at the halfway stage of the innings.
That advantage disappeared when both the set batsmen were dismissed. However, Roshon Primus and Wiese kept the Kings in the game going into the final few overs. When Primus departed Wiese guided the chase into the final over and hit the winning run to rapturous celebration in the stands.
Brief scores:
Jamaica Tallawahs 163/8 in 20 overs (Raymon Reifer 62, Scott Kuggeleijn 3/44) lost to St Lucia Kings 164/8 in 19.5 overs (Johnson Charles 62, Roshon Primus 22, Mohammed Amir 3/25) by two wickets.