Brilliant Zouks make history in CPL
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD {CMC): R
EIGNING CHAMPIONS Barbados Tridents bungled a straightforward run chase to slump to a shock defeat as St Lucia Zouks made history with the lowest total ever defended in Caribbean Premier League history here yesterday.
The result seemed a foregone conclusion when leg-spinner Hayden Walsh’s three-wicket haul sent Zouks tumbling for 92 off 18 overs – the joint second-lowest total in the franchise history and lowest in this year’s tournament. Najibullah Zadran (22) was topscorer for the Zouks.
However, Tridents then showed precious little intent as their run chase meandered aimlessly, and were three runs short of their target at the end to plunge to their second defeat in as many days and their fifth in seven games. They were suffocated by Zouks’ slow bowlers, leg-spinner Javelle Glen grabbing two for 11 from his three overs and left-armer Zahir Khan, along with off-spinners Mohammad Nabi and Roston Chase, combining to dry up the scoring in miserly spells.
Tridents were still in the contest with nine runs needed from the final over, but Chase held his nerve and conceded only five, to complete a quite remarkable turnaround for Zouks.
With 10 points from five wins, Zouks lie second to leaders Trinbago Knight Riders, and on the verge of a spot in the final four.
Sent in on a turning Queen’s Park Oval pitch, Zouks struggled from the outset when they lost Rahkeem Cornwall (six) to the fourth ball of the morning and Andre Fletcher (six) in the following over, to slump to 12 for two.
Leniko Boucher (18), in his first match of the tournament, then paired with Chase (14) to post the best stand of the innings as they added 30 for the third wicket.
Mis-stumped on 12 by Shai Hope in the fifth over, Boucher perished in the following over when he was bowled by Walsh missing a badly timed cut.
When Walsh bowled Chase with a fulllength delivery in his next over, Zouks were tottering on 50 for four in the ninth over and there was no recovery, as the last eight wickets tumbled spectacularly for just 42 runs.
There was no sign of the drama to come when Johnson Charles punched four fours in 39 from 42 deliveries in a 32-run stand with Hope (14).