A brilliant effort in the chase helped Saint Lucia Kings edge past Jamaica Tallawahs by two wickets at the Daren Sammy Stadium on Thursday to record their first victory in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2022.
The match went down to the final over but David Wiese took the team through after a splendid half-century by Johnson Charles set up the chase.
To add an impetus to their batting, captain Faf du Plessis brought in Niroshan Dickwella and Ackeem Auguste into the playing XI. Mark Deyal and Preston McSween were the players to make way.
Saint Lucia Kings won the toss and decided to bowl first, and picked up three crucial wickets in the powerplay. That put them on the front foot. Alzarri Joseph, Scott Kuggeleijn and Jeavor Royal snapped up a wicket each while curtailing the Tallawahs to a reasonable score of 47/3.
By the halfway point of the innings, the Tallawahs had lost another wicket and the momentum was fully on the Kings’ side.
Tim David’s stunning catch covering 20 yards running to his right gave the Kings a crucial breakthrough in the 17th over to dismiss Imad Wasim, just as the Tallawahs were looking to accelerate.
Kuggeleijn then snapped up the well-set and dangerous Raymon Reifer in the 19th over, thanks to another good catch by Tim David. Reifer played a solid knock, and the Tallawahs were able to surpass the 160-run threshold thanks to his innings.
In reply, the Kings were reeling at 39 for 4 in the seventh over, losing Niroshan Dickwella, captain Faf du Plessis, Ackeem Auguste and Roston Chase cheaply. Chase’s wicket just after the powerplay was debatable and tough for the team to take.
Johnson Charles and Tim David then shaped the rebuild, taking the total to 72 at the halfway point of the chase. When Tim David departed soon after, the onus was taken on by Johnson Charles whose 39 ball 62 set the game up for a close finish.
With 48 runs needed in five overs, Roshon Primus and David Wiese took the baton. Their combined efforts meant the Kings needed only 19 runs in 12 balls. Despite the wicket of Primus and the looming threat of rain, David Wiese and Scott Kuggeleijn held their nerve and took the Kings home with a ball to spare.
Brief Scores: Jamaica Tallawahs 163/8 (Raymon Reifer 62, Scott Kuggeleijn 3/44) lost to Saint Lucia Kings 164/8 (Johnson Charles 62, Mohammad Amir 3/25) by two wickets.
