SPINNERS WEAVE MAGIC AS KINGS OUTCLASS KNIGHT RIDERS

Game 20 of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saw Saint Lucia Kings beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 7 wickets with 53 balls remaining. It was an emphatic victory in Tarouba for the Kings over their nearest rivals in the competition, the victory means they are guaranteed a place in this year’s playoffs.

It was a match to forget for the Knight Riders after a five-match winning streak they suffered only their second defeat of the campaign. They lost it with the bat, after being inserted by Kings captain David Wiese they spluttered to just 109 all out, a total that was never going to be defendable.

Tabraiz Shamsi did the damage with his fizzing left arm wrist spin, the South African claimed the Player of the Match award with his 3/12 off four overs ripping the heart out of the Knight Riders vaunted middle order. ​ 

Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell were all clean bowled by Shamsi, with the first two defeated by a couple of beautiful spinning deliveries that left them bamboozled and the latter aiming a big shot across the line only to miss and have his furniture disrupted.

Tim Seifert continued his blistering form at the top of the order to break the back of the chase inside the powerplay, ​ scoring 36 off 19 deliveries followed by firepower from Ackeem Auguste (28 off 18) and Roston Chase (27 not out from 18) that saw Kings romp to victory in styler and give their net run rate a shot in the arm to boot. Tim David delivered the coup de grace in style by swatting Usman Tariq over cow corner for six to power Saint Lucia Kings to victory and a slot safely secured in the tournament’s latter stages.

MATCH PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE HERE AND CAN BE USED FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES. (CREDIT: CPL VIA GETTY IMAGES) POST MATCH INTERVIEWS FROM THIS GAME CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE. (CREDIT CPLT20)