Dottin’s return spells victory for Knight Riders over Royals

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Cricket’s newest novelty, the Women’s and Men’s Sixty, continued today with both men and women in action at Warner Park in St Kitts. Much attention was on recently retired Barbadian allrounder Deandra Dottin following her shock retirement from international cricket at age 31 and she did not disappoint.

Captain Dottin made an immediate impact on the Women’s Sixty, helping to fire Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to a 29-run victory over Barbados Royals. The veteran all-rounder missed Wednesday’s opening games but wasted little time in finding her stride with 46 off 34 deliveries as TKR gathered 92 for three off their ten overs.

In reply, Royals stumbled to 63 for five from their allotted overs with West Indies batter Chinelle Henry top-scoring with 37 from 29 balls. The victory for TKR was their first after two defeats on Wednesday.

Dottin was at the heart of TKR’s enterprise, punching three fours and two sixes as she posted 35 for the first wicket with Lee-Ann Kirby (16) and a further 56 for the second wicket with Luus who struck two sixes in a 17-ball knock.

Royals were never in the hunt, slumping to six for three in the second over as 18-year-old American seamer Geetika Kodali snatched three for six to hurt the run chase.

 

Henry came to her side’s rescue, striking five fours and a six in adding 52 for the fourth wicket with opener Reniece Boyce (18), but the stand proved insufficient.

In men’s action, West Indies power-hitter Odean Smith starred as Guyana Amazon Warriors opened their campaign in the Men’s Sixty with a seven-run win over St Lucia Kings.

Smith lashed an unbeaten 36 from 24 balls as Amazon Warriors recovered from a middle order collapse to reach 111 for five off their ten overs at Warner Park.

Amazon Warriors were given a flying start, Shai Hope (19) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (18) putting on 41 off 16 deliveries for the first wicket.

When four wickets tumbled for 14 runs to leave Amazon Warriors tottering on 55 for four in the fifth over, Smith arrived to belt two fours and three sixes in a 48-run, sixth wicket stand with captain Shimton Hetmyer (13), to revive the innings.

In reply, Kings slumped to 55 for five at the end of the sixth over after 20-year-old Afghan left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil (3-16) ripped through the top order.

Roshon Primus then opened his shoulders to blast 41 from 23 balls with four fours and two sixes, inspiring a 49-run, sixth wicket partnership with Matthew Forde (12) but Kings came up just short.

West Indies international Fabian Allen’s first appearance in three months resulted in a victory for Jamaica Tallawahs, as they thrashed St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 55 runs in the second game of the Men’s Sixty.

The 27-year-old left-arm spinning all-rounder, whose last outing came in the Indian Premier League last April, top-scored with a sizzling 18-ball 45 which helped Tallawahs to a huge 139 all out in the final over.

He lashed two fours and five sixes, receiving support from West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer who made 38 from 19 deliveries and Rovman Powell, whose 32 required just 13 balls.

Playing also at Warner Park, Tallawahs were stumbling at 42 for three in the fourth over before Allen orchestrated an 80-run fourth wicket stand with Reifer who lashed a four and four sixes.

Facing a required run rate of 14 runs per over, Patriots buckled despite the presence of veteran Chris Gayle (9) and Evin Lewis (15), and were dismissed for 84 in the eighth over.

They were slumping badly at 36 for four in the fourth over before Dewald Brevis struck 34 from 11 balls with five sixes, in a 45-run, fifth wicket partnership with Darren Bravo (11) to revive the innings.

However, off-spinner Jamie Merchant (2-8), along with fast bowlers Migael Pretorius (2-9) and Nicholson Gordon (2-16) all claimed two wickets each to keep Tallawahs on top.

Meanwhile, Barbados Royals made a winning start to the Men’s Sixty with a comfortable three-wicket win over Trinbago Knight Riders.

Asked to chase a paltry 77 in the final game of the men’s triple header, Royals overhauled their target with 21 balls to spare.

Corbin Bosch, a 27-year-old South African, led the run chase with 42 off 23 balls. He struck three fours and four sixes and put on 46 for the third wicket with Harry Tector (16), a partnership that hauled Royals around from 20 for two in the third over.

Earlier, TKR mustered only 76 in the eighth over, West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein top-scoring with 27 from 16 balls but no other batsman passing 20.

The innings was tottering on 27 for three at the end of the third until Hosein arrived to belt a four and a couple of sixes, in a 29-run fourth wicket partnership with Andre Russell who finished on 12 not out.

The Sixty is a new format organised by the Caribbean Premier League and Cricket West Indies, which sees 30 balls – in five separate overs – bowled from one end and another 30 balls from the other end in each innings.

Each batting side only has six wickets.

(CMC)