St Lucia Zouks defend lowest ever total in CPL history to beat Barbados Trindents by 3 runs

The St Lucia Zouks smashed the record for the lowest total ever defended in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to clinch a narow three-run win over Barbados Tridents in the 19th match of the ongoing 2020 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain on Sunday.

The Tridents, especially Hayden Walsh, were outstanding with the ball to bundle out the Zouks cheaply for 92 runs, but they still didn't manage to chase the target despite not even being bowled out.

Joshua Bishop, who came in for his second senior T20 game as a replacement for the injured Australian Mitchell Santner, dismissed Rakheem Cornwall in the first over. Andre Fletcher’s innings was dramatic but a brief one. He hammered Jason Holder for a maximum on the first ball, but the Tridents skipper trapped him LBW second and after eight balls, the Zouks were reduced to 12/2.

Bishop came to bowl the second over and he impressed by beating both Leniko Boucher and Roston Chase and having Chase dropped at point. Holder then gave the opportunity to Walsh after his mauling at the hands of Kieron Pollard yesterday, and the bowler should have dismissed Boucher but Shai Hope missed a simple stumping.

Rashid Khan was as accurate as ever, and the Zouks ended the Powerplay at 35/2, the CPL press release stated.

Boucher was frenetic before Walsh bowled him with a quicker ball. Walsh was visibly growing in confidence and beat Chase in the flight with a slower googly to bowl him. Both Nurse and Rashid continued to hold back for the second part of the innings, and the Afghan pair went boundary-less. The Zouks reached at 58/4 at halfway.

Nabi was dismissed after hitting a flighted Walsh googly to the skipper at long-off. After his dismissal, Rashid then troubled both Najibullah Zadran and captain Daren Sammy.

Meanwhile, Bishop’s return over was also accurate, and Zouks captain Sammy then ran himself out to leave his team reeling at 65/6 after the 13th. Though Javelle Glen kickstarted his innings  in style with a gigantic maximum that landed on the roof, he was dismissed soon for eight when he smashed a full toss from Nurse straight at deep midwicket.

Holder went to his seamers Nyeem Young and Raymon Reifer and Najibullah fell to the latter, courtesy a good low catch by Joshua Bishop at deep square leg. Reifer got a second, thanks to Walsh expertly judging a mistimed Scott Kuggeleijn pull to juggle and hold near the rope.

Rashid proved to be too good for the tail as he ended his spell with the wicket of his countryman Zahir Khan. Young with a tight over of 0/3 was the only bowler of Tridents not to take a wicket.

Chasing the lowly target, Hope and Johnson Charles started cautiously. The first aerial shot didn’t come until the fourth over of their innings when Charles almost holed out to mid-on. However, a smattering of fours saw the Tridents score at a run a ball. Hope fell leg before wicket to a good ball from Williams, but the Tridents reached the Powerplay at 34/1.

Trindents were soon reduced to 37/2 when Zahir bowled Kyle Mayers with a beauty that turned from middle to take off-stump. Williams and Zahir snuck through a few tight overs, and even Charles’ third boundary was a controlled leg glance. Williams then beat Holder’s waft to pick up a second LBW as the Tridents were 48/3 at drinks break.

The Tridents though continued to bat nervously - Chase bowling for the first time in senior T20 cricket, were tidy, while leg-spinner Glen got his first wicket when Charles sliced to long-on where Williams took a good catch.

The Tridents suddenly found themselves 67/4 off 14, and Zahir, Nabi and Chase bowled tidily against a nervy Nurse and Corey Anderson.

When Nabi beat Anderson in the flight and bowled him, the Tridents found themselves suddenly five down and needing over a run a ball. Sammy then asked Glen to bowl the penultimate over and it proved to be a good decision as Rashid fell for two to leave Chase nine to defend off the last over.

Nurse fell to a good catch from Najibullah, but most importantly Chase started with three dot balls. Reifer missed a full toss and only managed three off two balls, leaving Young needing to hit his first ever ball in  CPL over the ropes to seal a win that seemed a formality at almost every stage. He failed to do the same as Zouks clinched a narrow three-run win.

Brief Scores: St Lucia Zouks 92 all out (Najibullah 22, Boucher 18, Chase 14; Walsh Jr 3/19, Reifer 2/5, Nurse 1/15, Rashid 1/17, Bishop 1/17) beat Barbados Tridents 89/7 (Charles 39, Hope 14, Nurse 12, Anderson 11; Glen 2/11, Williams 2/12, Chase 1/14, Nabi 1/18, Zahir 1/21) beat by 3 runs