Tallawahs’ batting woes continue

The Jamaica Tallawahs batting unit, minus an injured Andre Russell, once again flattered to deceive, as they folded miserably, losing by 36 runs to the Barbados Tridents in their Caribbean Premier League (CPL) encounter at the Queens Park Oval last night.

After getting over the line against the Amazon Warriors on Tuesday, the Jamaican franchise could not put together back-to-back successive run chases, as they folded for 112 for nine chasing 148 set by the Barbados Tridents.

It was another horror start from the top order with the Tallawahs being two wickets down in the first two overs with just 11 runs on the board.

Wicket-keeper Glenn Phillips was bowled by Mitchell Santner for a duck and Chadwick Walton hit two boundaries before he was caught behind off Jason Holder for 10.

Captain Rovman Powell also failed to spark as he fell to Holder for four, and when Asif Ali held out off Hayden Walsh Jnr for two, the Tallawahs were down and out at 27 for four.

Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner tried to breathe some life into the gapping Tallawahs innings, putting on 39 runs for the fifth wicket. When Blackwood fell for 28 and Bonner went for 31 at 84 for 7, the writing was on the wall for the Jamaican franchise, which eventually limped its way to 112 for nine to fall short by 36 runs.

Earlier, The Tridents, who are asked to take the first strike, had left-handed batsman Kyle Mayers to thank for their workman-like total.

Mayers pulled the Tridents out of early trouble, after the brilliant Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman sent back Shai Hope for eight and Johnson Charles for 3.

Man of the Match Mayers, who came in at number three, played as if he was possessed, and stroked the ball all around the park, bringing up his first CPL 50 off just 40 balls.

Mayers and captain Jason Holder put on a crucial third-wicket stand of 63, but when Holder went caught by Chadwick Walton off Carlos Brathwaite for 15, at 83 for 3, the Tridents’ innings nose-dived, as they lost four wickets for seven runs, with Mujeeb and Sandeep Lamichhane getting in on the act.

A below-par score was looking on the cards, however, Mayers showed his brute force when he took Brathwaite to the cleaners in the 18th overtaking 29 runs off the medium-pacer with four sixes and a four.

Mayers would eventually fall to Fidel Edwards in the next over for a magnificent 85 from 59 balls, as the Tridents’ innings folded for 148 for seven.

Mujeeb finished with three for 14 and Lamichhane two for 16.