Pollard leads Stars to rare win
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC): ST LUCIA STARS captain Kieron Pollard scored his first-ever T20 century to lead his side to their first victory in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) since 2016 by defeating the Barbados Tridents by 38 runs here Friday night.
Pollard smashed 104 from only 54 balls to guide the Stars to 226 for six in their 20 overs – the highest-ever total in the CPL’s history.
Qais Ahmed (2-29) and Obed McCoy (3-28) then produced brilliant bowling spells to limit the Tridents to 188 for six.
The win snapped the Stars’ 15-game losing streak and was their first since July 31, 2016, when the then St Lucia Zouks defeated the Jamaica Tallawahs by 17 runs in Florida.
One night earlier, the Stars had failed to defend 212 against the Trinbago Knight Riders, but this time around Pollard, Andre Fletcher (80) and Rahkeem Cornwall (30) ensured they went one better.
SIX BOUNDARIES
Pollard took a particular liking to pacer Raymon Reifer, whose four overs went for 67 runs.
He eventually brought up his 100 in the final over with his eighth six driven flat over long on, before departing one ball later. His knock also contained six boundaries.
Tridents’ opener Dwayne Smith blazed his way to a halfcentury in pursuit of a historic chase, as the Tridents marched to 75-1 at the end of 10 overs.
But once he was dismissed by Qais Ahmad for a 45-ball 58 after top-edging to deep square leg, the chase fell flat.
Admad then struck two balls into his next over, having Hashim Amla stumped.