Cornwall rebounds with fifer and Patriots’ scalp

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

RAHKEEM CORNWALL produced his best-ever T20 bowling figures to help the Barbados Royals send the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots spiraling to their seventh straight loss in the Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval on Tuesday.

Cornwall, who was named player-of-the-match, rebounded from being dropped by the Royals in the previous match to take 5-16 from his four overs, which helped to restrict the floundering Patriots to 110 in 19.1 overs.

In-form opener Quinton de Kock then struck an unbeaten half century as the Royals wasted little time in chasing down their target, ending on 113 for one in 11.2 overs, to register an emphatic nine-wicket victory.

The result helped the Royals maintain their grip on the top spot with 10 points from their six games while the Patriots remained rooted at the bottom of the table with a solitary win from their eight games.

But the night belonged to Cornwall, who had endured a disappointing tournament leading up to the match.

Royals’ fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq actually did the early damage, dismissing Evin Lewis for six and the dangerous Kyle Mayers for three to leave the Patriots 38 for two in the sixth over.

From thereon, the night belonged to Cornwall as he ran through the Patriots’ middle order, snagging five of the next six wickets to fall.

With his very first delivery of the night, the burly off spinner tempted Patriots captain Andre Fletcher into charging him, only for the batsman to miss the ball completely and be stumped for the top score of 32.

New batsman Mikyle Louis then tried to hit Cornwall’s next delivery out of the ground but only succeeded in ballooning it to wicketkeeper de Kock to take a simple catch at point, and the Patriots slumped to 49 for four.

Obed McCoy joined in on the action by dismissing Rilee Rossouw for nine, but Cornwall was soon back in the thick of things.

Wanindu Hasaranga made 10 before his intended slog sweep off the spinner ended up in Royals’ captain Rovman Powell’s hands at cover, and Odean Smith’s intended drive found the outside edge and was snapped up by Powell, this time stationed at first slip, as the Patriots slipped to 65 for seven.

Four runs later, Cornwall captured his first-ever five-wicket haul in a T20 when he had Ryan John spectacularly caught by Alick Athanaze at deep midwicket for just one.

It took knocks from Joshua Da Silva, 25 from 29 balls, and tail ender Anrich Nortje, who made 22 from 17, to get the Patriots past the 100 mark, before ul-Haq and McCoy wrapped up the innings.

Cornwall received good support from ul-Haq (3-21) and McCoy (2-11).

Chasing a paltry target, the Royals were ruthless in their approach.

De Kock and opening partner Kadeem Alleyne took 18 from Nortje’s second over and the fourth of the innings as they rushed to 49 without loss after five overs.

But just after posting a 50-run opening stand, Alleyne was adjudged lbw for 25 after he missed a sweep shot against spinner Hasaranga.

There would be no further success for the Patriots as de Kock,along with Athanaze, took them over the line with 52 balls remaining.

The South African finished unbeaten on 59 from 38 balls with four sixes and three fours while Athanaze scored 22 not out from 15 balls.