KNIGHT RIDERS START TITLE DEFENCE WITH WIN
Trinbago Knight Riders started their title defending campaign with a rain-affected 19-run win over Saint Kitts & Nevis Patriots on DLS.
Sunil Narine’s 3/7 restricted the Patriots to 109/9 before Matthew Breetzke’s run-a-ball 35 not out was enough in the chase confirmed by DLS at 94/2 from 15 overs – needing 16 to win from five overs for match completion.
Experienced West Indian international Joshua da Silva was a point of concern retiring hurt from his innings at three, struggling to get going in visible pain on 18 from 22 balls.
With Narine’s economical effort removing three of the top four, he removed the dangerous Kyle Mayers first ball as he dismissed three internationals.
From 16/3 a rebuild was required from the dangerous spin duo opening the bowling for the Knight Riders – Kevin Wickham’s 38 at a measured rate was enough to take the Patriots to a total that was competitive despite appearing sub-par. Terrence Hinds’ wickets in regular intervals prevented the innings from ever getting going.
In response, the dangerous overseas duo of Alex Hales and Colin Munro looked to be positive in their approach but, as was seen in the first innings, they struggled to score at a damaging rate.
When Hales hauled out for a frustrating 9 from 11 balls against the awkward Jason Holder, and Munro for a run-a-ball 17 shortly thereafter, still inside the PowerPlay, a rebuild was the way forward.
Da Silva and Breetzke showed that occupying the crease allowed for an innings to be built chasing the low total and when the former retired hurt – not affecting the wickets column – little was left to be done in pursuit.
When the rain came for a second time the game was eventually called as a DLS result, Trinbago’s loss of only two wickets the key with the par sat at 75.
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