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Trinbago Knight Riders recorded a two-run win over defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Jamaica Tallawahs won the toss and chose to field first, producing a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Trinbago Knight Riders to 142/8 after 20 overs.

Kelvin Pitman, making his CPL debut, had an outstanding game as he took three wickets, including that of the opposing captain, Kieron Pollard.

The Tallawahs would have a bright start to their chase but would lose four wickets in the first ten overs to find themselves in trouble.

Waqar Salamkheil and Andre Russell would prove decisive, taking five wickets between them and restricting runs as the Tallawahs faltered to 139/7, losing by just two runs.

The Jamaican franchise got off to an ideal start to the game, with experienced seamer Mohammad Amir delivering an opening maiden over.

However, Openers Martin Guptil and Mark Deyal would bat through the powerplay and build a solid foundation for the Knight Riders innings with a 58-run partnership.

The complexion of the tie would then wholly change as the Knight Riders lost three wickets, including that of Nicholas Pooran, for just five runs.

On debut for the Tallawahs, Kelvin Pitman took two of those wickets within the same over in a brilliant display.

The Knight Riders’ attempt to accelerate the scoring was derailed as they would lose five wickets in the last five overs to finish on 142/8.

Jamaica Tallawahs opened their chase with captain Brandon King and Alex Hales, the duo also batting through the powerplay as they put on a 57 run partnership.

Brandon King lost his wicket to the leg-spin of Salamkheil; Jermaine Blackwood was also dismissed four balls later to a super Nicholas Pooran catch, and when Shamarh Brooks departed the very next ball, the Tallawahs looked in trouble at 58/3.

More wickets would tumble and despite a late flurry of runs from Chris Green and Imad Wasim, they would ultimately lose by two runs in a nail-biting finish.

Trinbago Knight Riders will look to continue their winning form as they play their next four games in front of a home crowd. (CPLT20) 

akeem@newsroom.gy   

Pocket-rocket wicketkeeper/batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz could join the Guyana Amazon Warriors for his second stint when the team travels to Trinidad and Tobago for the penultimate leg of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.

Presently, countryman Hazratullah Zazai is covering for him in the squad.

The third leg in Barbados concludes on Sunday, and teams will travel on Monday to the Twin Island Republic, where matches start the following day at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Gurbaz is currently competing for his native Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan’s final preliminary match is scheduled for September 5 against Sri Lanka, and should they not progress to the Super 4, Gurbaz would join the Warriors, according to the team’s manager, Leon Johnson.

Effectively, he would be unavailable for the big clash against Trinbago Knight Riders on September 5, but could feature against Barbados Royals on September 10 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Last season, Gurbaz played six matches for the Warriors and scored 157 runs at a strike rate of 140.17 with a highest score of 60.

The 21-year-old has over 3,500 runs from 146 matches, with a lone century and 22 fifties. He strikes at 148.24.

The Saint Lucia Kings reclaimed the top spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a dominant 90-run victory over the Barbados Royals.

The Royals won the toss and opted to field first, but they were to run into Johnson Charles in imperious form. The opener blasted 78, and contributions at the back end saw the Kings post a healthy 195/6.

In reply, the Royals’ chase was over before it began, as they lost the top five batters inside the PowerPlay. They never recovered from that huge setback and were eventually all out for 105.

The Kings got their innings off to a tremendous start, led by the power of Johnson Charles.

Having reached 69/0 at the end of the PowerPlay, the foundation was set for a huge total, and they were able to reach 97 before the loss of their first wicket, Colin Munro holing out to the deep square boundary for 33.

Sean Williams’ stay at the crease was brief, but at the other end, Charles continued to make hay. Only when Jason Holder returned in the 16^th over did the Kings’ momentum get momentarily halted. Two wickets in the over saw the departure of Shadrack Descarte and Charles himself for 78.

However, quick-fire contributions at the death from Roshon Primus, Sikander Raza, and Roston Chase ensured the Kings set an imposing total.

The Royals never got to grips with the chase and were effectively out of the contest by the end of the PowerPlay.

Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde, and Roshon Primus were destroyers in chief as they ran through the top five batters to leave the Royals 40/5 at the end of the first six overs.

Despite a few big hits from the lower middle order, the Royals suffered without a firm base to build from and eventually folded for 105 all out.

The victory for the Kings sent them back to the top of the table, while the Barbados Royals will look to bounce back against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the last game of the Barbados leg. (CPLT20) 

(Image: F1 Facebook)

Leclerc sold the dummy to Sainz at the first chicane but the Spaniard moved to defend and Leclerc had to lock all his brakes and cut the chicane to avoid his partner. Leclerc crossed the line just 0.1secs behind.

Mercedes’ George Russell drove a steady race to take fifth, while Lewis Hamilton impressed on an inverted strategy, starting on the hard tyre and switching to the medium, to pass the McLarens and Alex Albon’s Williams to take sixth.

Hamilton earned a five-second penalty for colliding with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri when passing him at the second chicane but had enough of a margin to keep the place.

Albon clung on ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Fernando Alonso had his most anonymous race of the season to take ninth in the Aston Martin ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.

Piastri had to pit to repair damage after the Hamilton incident and finished 12th behind Liam Lawson’s Alpha Tauri.

Ferrari put up a strong fight against the all-conquering Red Bull team at their home race with by far their most competitive showing of the season.

Their hope was for Leclerc, starting third, to pass Verstappen into the first corner and set up a one-two at the front of the field, from which they might be able to play strategy against Verstappen.

But Verstappen made a strong start, and Sainz had to chop across quickly to prevent the Dutchman claiming the inside line for an attack at the first corner.

The lead secured, Sainz was faced with a challenging opening stint trying to hold Verstappen off for as long as possible.

Verstappen tracked the Ferrari, rarely more than 0.5secs behind. He tried the outside on lap six, only to be rebuffed, and complained to his team about the Ferrari’s straight-line speed.

But eventually his pressure paid off. Sainz locked his right front wheel on the way into the first chicane at the start of lap 15, and that allowed Verstappen to get a better exit out of the corner.

Verstappen drew alongside on the flat-out run through the Curva Grande and claimed the lead down the inside of the Roggia chicane.

Once Verstappen was into the lead, the destiny of the race win was no longer in doubt – if it ever really had been – and the uncertainty was now over the remaining podium positions.

Verstappen now leads Perez in the championship by 145 points as his third drivers’ title draws ever closer. (BBC Sport)