Tallawahs eye final play-off spot after whipping Patriots

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

JAMAICA TALLAWAHS put themselves on the brink of qualification for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) playoffs when they brushed aside beleaguered St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 59 runs in their penultimate group stage game yesterday.

Defending 179 at the Guyana National Stadium, the Tallawahs held Patriots to 119 all out, to post their third win in nine outings and move into the final qualifying spot on seven points.

Tallawahs are now level with Barbados Royals on seven points but have the advantage of a superior net run rate.

They now face a must-win encounter against St Lucia Kings on Sunday morning, with Royals taking on Guyana Amazon Warriors in the night fixture – also needing to win to remain in contention for the play-offs.

“We’re not going to look to other results,” Tallawahs captain Brandon King said afterwards.

“We’re going to try and control our own destiny in that sense, and try and win tomorrow’s game to secure qualification.”

Patriots’ defeat was their seventh of an abysmal campaign, which saw them manage only a single win from their full complement of 10 games to end rock bottom on four points.

Last season, they also missed out on the play-offs when they finished one from bottom on eight points from three wins.

“It was really tough for us, the first two games getting rained out and then afterwards not getting any momentum in the home advantage,” said captain Evin Lewis.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t come out on top, but so it goes. We have to look forward to the next time.”

Choosing to bat, Tallawahs were carried to 178 for seven from their 20 overs by Shamar Springer, who top-scored with 38 from 27 balls in his second game of the season, while Fabian Allen smashed an 18-ball 33 and Raymon Reifer a 22-ball 28.

The innings lay in ruins at 32 for four in the seventh over before Reifer put on 33 for the fifth wicket with Shamarh Brooks (19) and a further 42 for the sixth wicket with Springer, who lashed a brace of fours and sixes.

Once Reifer departed at the start of the 16th over, Springer provided the support for Allen in a 62-run, seventh-wicket stand, Allen clobbering three fours and two sixes in a cameo.

In reply, Patriots slumped to 40 for four at the start of the eighth over before Yannic Cariah blasted a top score of 65 from 40 balls, to inject some life into the chase.

He counted eight fours, reaching his maiden CPL 50 off 34 deliveries while adding 44 for the fifth wicket with Corbin Bosch (10).

However, once left-arm spinner Imad Wasim (3-25) removed Bosch to a catch in the deep, Patriots lost their last five wickets swiftly – with the injured Ashmead Nedd unable to bat – as seamer Mohammad Amir ran through the tail with four for 19.