WARNER PARK, St Kitts – Barbados Tridents romped to a comprehensive 88-run victory over the Jamaica Tallawahs earlier today and straight into the Saturday’s final of the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 Cricket Tournament.
At the end of the nine rounds of matches, the Tridents, who were in fourth place for much of the early going, topped the tables with 12 points, the same as Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and the Tallawahs, but with a superior net run rate.
The Tridents posted a challenging 175 for eight off their 20 overs and skittled out the Tallawahs for 87 in 15.3 overs.
An opening stand of 35 between wicketkeeper William Perkins (36) and Dwayne Smith (32) laid the foundation, but after Smith was out, Shoaib Malik and Raymon Reifer both fell for three and the Tridents were suddenly 57 for three.
Perkins and captain Kieron Pollard combined for a fourth-wicket stand of 41, Pollard hitting a quick fire 63 off 36. When Perkins fell, Pollard and Jeevan Mendis (17) posted a 57-run stand and Jason Holder added 17 down the order.
South African medium pacer Juan “Rusty” Theron took four for 35.
In contrast, the Tallawahs were one for six and two for eight, as pacers Holder and Ravi Rampaul removed Chadwick Walton (5) and Chris Gayle (1), respectively.
Nkrumah Bonner hit 47 off 40 balls and Adam Voges ten off ten, but spinners Mendis (two for 15) and Nurse (two for 16) as well as medium quick Emrit, with two for 29, ran through the middle and lower order.
Earlier, the Guyana Amazon Warriors secured second place with an eight-wicket victory over the St Lucia Zouks.
A 154-run opening partnership between Lendl Simmons (97) and Martin Guptill (66) ensured they made easy work of the Zouks’ 189 for seven. They scored 194 for two with six balls remaining, the highest successful chase in the two-year history of the Caribbean Premier League.
The stand between Guptill and Simmons broke the CPL first-wicket record that was set only hours earlier by Johnson Charles (62) and Andre Fletcher (78), who added 139 at the start of the match after the Zouks were sent in to bat.
The Zouks had a chance to nip the Simmons-Guptill partnership in the bud, but Simmons was shelled by Liam Sebastien at long leg in the second over off Tino Best with the opener yet to get off the mark.
On Wednesday, the Tallawahs will play the Red Steel in the first semi-final, with the winner going forward to face Amazon Warriors the following day in the second semi-final.
Summarised scores:
Barbados Tridents 175-8 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard 63, W. Perkins 36, D. Smith 32, J. Mendis 17, J. Holder 12; J. Theron 4-35, D. Vettori 2-22). Jamaica Tallawahs 87 in 15.3 overs (N. Bonner 47, A. Voges 10; J. Mendis 2-15, A. Nurse 2-16, R. Emrit 2-29). Tridents won by 88 runs.
St Lucia Zouks 189-7 in 20 overs (Andre Fletcher 78, Johnson Charles 62, D. Sammy 22; N. Stewart 3-22, K. Santokie 2-39). Guyana Amazon Warriors 194-2 in 19 overs (Lendl Simmons 97, Martin Guptill 66, C. Barnwell 14). Amazon Warriors won by eight wickets.
Standings
Teams Matches Won Lost Tied N/R Points Net Run Rate
Barbados Tridents 9 6 3 0 0 12 +0.860
Guyana Amazon Warriors 9 6 3 0 0 12 +0.414
Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel 9 6 3 0 0 12 +0.317
Jamaica Tallawahs 9 6 3 0 0 12 -0.124
St Lucia Zouks 9 2 7 0 0 4 -0.790
Antigua Hawksbills 9 1 8 0 0 2 -0.820 (SAT/Cricinfo)
