Trinbago Knight Riders 208/6 (Pooran 102, Russell 39,; Holder 2/39, Ahmad 1/27) beat Barbados Royals 166/7 (Mayers 70, Evans 20, van der Merwe 20; Salamkheil 2/18, Hosein 2/21) by 42 runs
By Prior Beharry
NICHOLAS Pooran showed his focus and determination to power to a century off only 51 balls after he was involved in a mix up with Kieron Pollard that saw the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) skipper run out for the second consecutive game.
Barbados Royals won the toss and elected to field and then had the daunting task of chasing 209 for victory. In the end, they fell short by 42 runs despite a valiant 70 from opener Kyle Mayers at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday night.
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But the evening belonged to Pooran who favoured the on-side for his maximums. He ended not out on 102 from 52 balls that included five 4s and ten 6s.
In the tenth over, Pollard clipped a ball down to short fine leg and started to run but stopped midway with Pooran unable to halt his momentum and both batmen touched down in the crease. The bails were removed at the bowler’s end, and Pooran began to walk off the field as a huge argument broke out that ended in a fist pump with Pollard. Pooran was called back after television replay showed that he was in the crease before Pollard.
It was all fireworks after that and in the end of his unbeaten innings, Pollard gave him a massive hug on the stairs of the dressing room.
Martin Guptill made 37 with five 4s while Andre Russell got to 39 before he was caught behind by Rivaldo Clarke off the bowling of Jason Holder. He shared in an 82-run partnership with Pooran with both of them contributing 39 runs.
Holder had two wickets for 39 runs in his four overs while Qais Ahmad was the most economical conceding 26 runs with one scalp in his four overs for the Royals.
Barbados suffered a major setback early in their chase as Akeal Hosein grabbed the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall in the third over.
Waqar Salamkheil was again the pick of the bowlers for TKR and managed two wickets for 18 runs in his four overs. He was not as unlucky with drop catches on the previous night.
Mayers was dismissed for 70 from an Ali Khan delivery after which the run rate would prove to be too much for the Royals, as they finished on 166/7, losing the contest by 42 runs.
The win means that TKR are on nine points together with top of the table Guyana Amazon Warriors who have a better run rate and have played only five games thus far – the least by any other team.
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See match report here for TKR vs GAW
Click here to see photos of TKR vs GAW at the Queen’s Park Oval
