Webster, Narine take down Tallawahs despite Russell fireworks

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Opener Tion Webster struck his maiden Twenty20 halfcentury while Sunil Narine fashioned a strong allrounder performance as reigning champions Trinbago Knight Riders won their second match in as many outings with a 22run victory over Jamaica Tallawahs here Friday night.

Sent in at Queen’s Park Oval, TKR rallied to 191 for four with Webster anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 66 off 49 balls while Narine lashed a whirlwind 46 from 22 deliveries.

Captain Kieron Pollard came late to stroke 33 not out off 21 balls as the hosts gathered 47 from the last five overs without surrendering a wicket.

In reply, New Zealander George Worker struck an unbeaten 46 off 33 balls but it was West Indies allrounder Andre Russell who lit up the venue with 44 off just 24 deliveries.

Captain Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton chipped in with 28 apiece but off-spinner Narine (223) and New Zealand seamer Jimmy Neesham (2-27) stifled Jamaica’s run chase, leaving the visitors with defeat in their opener.

For the second game in a row, TKR were off to a weak start when Lendl Simmons played down the wrong line to left-arm spinner Christopher Lamont and was bowled for 11 with as many on the board in the second over.

However, Narine then launched a punishing counter-attack, crunching four fours and three sixes in a 74-run, second wicket stand with Webster who counted seven fours and a couple of sixes.

The left-handed Narine was racing towards his seventh T20 half-century when he was deceived by a slower ball from seamer Shamar Springer and holed Leon Johnson schooled the University of Guyana (UG) with a masterly out in the deep in the ninth over.

And when Neesham (6) pushed a return catch to off-spinner Steven Jacobs in the next over at 93 for three, TKR were beginning to stumble but two healthy partnerships allowed them to regain their momentum.

First, Webster put on 47 for the fourth wicket with Denesh Ramdin whose 21 required only 16 balls, before adding a further 51 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with Pollard who hit four fours in his knock.

Narine then set back Tallawahs early in their run chase when he bowled New Zealander Glenn Phillips for six in the third over with 15 on the board

Gayle attempted a counterattack, blasting three sixes in his 20-ball stay at the crease but perished in the sixth over when he skied pacer Ali Khan to deep mid-wicket.

Rovman Powell also fell cheaply for one, two overs later, before Worker and Walton added 49 for the fourth wicket to prop up the innings.

However, by the time Walton found Neesham at long on trying to dispatch Narine at the end of the 13th over, Tallawahs were in dire straits at 93 for four and in need of something special to get the 99 required from 42 balls.

Russell then teed off, bludgeoning four fours and as many sixes as he dominated a 67-run, fifth wicket stand with Worker. However, his charge came too late as Neesham made telling blows at the death.