Tahir spinning his way to success
Imran Tahir is the leading spinner overall and the star of the South African show at this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The leg-spinner has taken 11 wickets in six games – third on the list behind Andre Russell and Oshane Thomas‚ both of them seamers – for the Guyana Amazon Warriors‚ who are coached by former South Africa off-spinner Johan Botha.
The 4/22 Tahir claimed against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Basseterre on Tuesday is the second-best bowling performance in the competition.
He has yet to go wicketless‚ has conceded more than a run a ball only twice‚ and his economy rate of 6.04 is the best among bowlers who have sent down 10 or more overs.
Better yet‚ Tahir’s quiver of wickets includes Chris Gayle‚ Steve Smith and David Warner – the latter twice.
You have to wonder about the awkwardness in the Barbados Tridents’ dressing-room‚ which Smith shares with Hashim Amla: don’t mention the ball-tampering.
Smith‚ Warner and Cameron Bancroft copped lengthy bans for their plot to sandpaper the ball during the Newlands Test between South Africa and Australia last season.
Another Cameron‚ Delport‚ also plays for Guyana and has scored 25 and 12 in his two CPL games.
That’s more than Amla‚ who has made only 32 runs in three innings.
David Miller of the Jamaica Tallawahs is faring better, with 154 runs from five innings‚ which puts him 14th among the run-scorers.
Miller’s best effort is the unbeaten 72 he scored off 34 balls against the Trinbago Knight Riders at Lauderhill on August 19. Fifty of his fours and sixes.
Neither the Patriots‚ the Knight Riders nor the St Lucia Stars have any South Africans on their books.
Jamaica lead the standings with five wins from eight games‚ but the only other side to have played that many matches are last-placed St Lucia – who have won only twice.
The semifinals and final will all be played on September 12. runs came in