Pollard fireworks help overturn Kings

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC):

A SWASHBUCKLING 19-ball knock of 52 not-out from captain Kieron Pollard helped to power the Trinbago Knight Riders to a thrilling four-wicket victory over the St Lucia Kings in the 12th match of the Caribbean Premier League on Tuesday at the Daren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.

TKR chased down a challenging 188-run target with five balls to spare. Earlier, Roston Chase and Bhanuka Rajapaksa anchored the Kings’ innings after a shaky start, leading them to a competitive 187-6.

However, a blitz of a knock from Shaqkere Parris and Pollard’s finishing secured the Knight Riders’ second win of the season.

St Lucia Kings opted to bat first and started aggressively, going at 9.5 runs an over during the powerplay. Johnson Charles smashed a quick-fire 29 off just 14 balls, while captain Faf du Plessis contributed 34 off 26 deliveries.

After a quiet first over, Charles took the attack to Jayden Seales, hitting him for a six, a four, and another six, all through the off-side, and followed that with more big hits against Akeal Hosein.

Sunil Narine was introduced in the fourth over, and the veteran spinner delivered immediately, dismissing Charles who held out at long-off. While du Plessis continued to take on Hosein, Narine tightened the screws, eventually dismissing Sadrack Descarte for a golden duck.

Narine dropped du Plessis on 23, but the South African skipper couldn’t capitalise for long as Waqar Salamkheil bowled him with a sharp turning delivery. Chase and Rajapaksa then steadied the ship, putting together a vital 80-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

After scoring at a run-a-ball, Rajapaksa shifted gears, smashing back-to-back sixes off Salamkheil, while Chase joined the assault in the 17th over. Pollard ended Rajapaksa’s stay with a slower ball, but Chase kept the momentum, hitting two sixes off the 18th over.

Late cameos from Tim Seifert (11 off 4) and Matthew Forde (11 off 7) pushed the Kings to a strong finish, despite Narine’s exceptional figures of 2 for 13 in his four overs.

Narine wasn’t done yet. In the run chase, he set the tone with two early sixes in his brief eight-ball cameo of 14, giving the Knight Riders a rapid start. Shaqkere Parris followed suit with a first-ball six and then tore into Khari Campbell, smashing three more sixes in four balls, propelling TKR to 70-1 in just five overs.

Noor Ahmad brought some control by dismissing Jason Roy for 16 in a tidy first over, but Parris kept dealing in sixes, bringing up his half-century off just 20 balls with his sixth maximum.

The Kings managed to slow things down between overs 10 and 15, allowing just 35 runs in that period. Noor Ahmad removed the dangerous Parris for 57, as pressure built on TKR.

However, with the chase faltering, Pollard took charge. Having already launched a six early in his innings, the TKR captain hammered four more in the 19th over, bringing up his 19-ball fifty and sealing a comfortable victory for his side.