CPL 2017, Match 26, JT vs SKN, Review: Kumar Sangakkara's 69, Thomas' triple strike seals playoff berth for Tallawahs

The defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs earned their fifth successive play off berth, as they beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots by 41 runs. Currently, at the second spot, one more win against Guyana Amazon Warriors will place Jamaica in a comfortable position, as they will get a shot at the final place by competing with Trinbago Knight Riders.

Batting first, Jamaica got off to a shaky start, as 28-year old Sheldon Cottrell disturbed the furniture of Lendl Simmons, in the very first ball of the match. Kiwi wicket-keeper batsman Glenn Phillips and veteran Kumar Sangakkara stitched a stand of 81 runs to put Jamaica’s innings on a damage control mode. Phillips scored a 32-ball 31, while the skipper played a good hand of 55-ball 69. Sangakkara fetched four boundaries and three sixes, and at one point he looked like an automatic entry into the struggling Sri Lankan side, which is facing up against India, miles away.

Rovman Powell provided the much-needed fireworks towards the end, as the batters scored 22 runs in the last 8 balls. Powell remained unbeaten on 43 off 26 balls, along with three sixes and a couple of boundaries. For Patriots, Cottrell was the pick of the bowlers, as he finished with figures of 2/38. Mohammad Hafeez didn’t pick any wickets but turned out to be the most economical bowlers, as his spell read 4 overs for 15 runs at an economy of 3.75.  He was only taken for a maximum, and apart from that, the Pakistani all-rounder bowled 14 dot balls in the innings.

Chasing 158 to win, opener Chris Gayle repeated a similar sight from the first innings, as he was trapped in the pads for a duck by 20-year old Oshane Thomas. Evin Lewis didn’t hold back and provided the start, Patriots needed. He blasted six fours and two sixes on his way to a 17-ball 40. Hafeez, who had a good outing with the ball, stretched the chase with a 30-ball.

Fired up Thomas scalps big three

Evin Lewis didn’t hold back and provided the start, Patriots needed. He blasted six fours and two sixes on his way to a 17-ball 40. Hafeez, who had a good outing with the ball, stretched the chase with a 30-ball 21, but saw wickets crumble at the other end. Lewis went back in the 5th over with the score at 43/2, and Antigua-born Devon Thomas went back within a span of 11 deliveries. The Patriot’s chase was brought to a halt afterwards, as they lost six wickets for about 40 runs in the middle overs.

Thomas scalped three wickets to showcase figures of 3/31, while an experienced campaigner in the T20 arena in 97 games- Krishmar Santoke took the chaser’s wheels off with 3/10. Not a single batsman managed to get into double figures in the middle order and lower down, and they were bowled out for mere 116 runs with 13 balls to spare. Oshane Thomas was adjudged the player of the match for his match winning performance of 3/31, which included the wickets of Gayle, Carlos Brathwaite and Mohammad Nabi.

Brief Scores:

Jamaica Tallawahs: 157/5 in 20 overs (Sangakkara 69; R Powell 43; Cottrell 2/38)

St.Kitts Nevis and Patriots: 116 in 17.5 overs (E Lewis 40; Santokie 3/10; Oshane 3/31)

Jamaica Tallawahs won by 41 runs