Tridents break into the playoffs

Man-of-the-Match Hayden Walsh and left-arm seamer Harry Gurney triggered a middle-order collapse which took Barbados Tridents to a stunning victory by 24 runs over the St Lucia Zouks in the final match of the Barbados leg of the Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval last night.

The Tridents’ close victory over the Zouks took them into the play-offs for the first time since 2015. Set a modest target of 142 to win the match in which both teams were vying for the final position in the play-offs, the Zouks were bowled out for 117 in 18.4 overs. They were off to rapid start with openers Andre Fletcher and Rahkeem Cornwall posting 27 runs in 3.3 overs.

Celebration time for the Tridents.

Their partnership ended when Jason Holder bowled Fletcher for eight. Colin Ingram joined Cornwall at the crease. The burly Antiguan was hitting the ball powerfully around the field, he struck Holder over mid-off for a huge six and lifted left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasin who shared the new ball with Holder over his head for a beautifully timed boundary.

A slow delivery from Gurney which Cornwall attempted to heave through the on-side led to his dismissal. The ball struck the bottom of the bat and few high in the air to mid-off where Holder gleefully accepted the catch.

Cornwall scored 19 from 15 balls. His departure at 40 for two in the fifth over would not have caused any worry in the Zouks camp. The way Colin de Grandehomme and Colin Ingram blasted the Tridents’ bowlers around Kensington Oval brought a grim look to the faces of the thousands of Tridents’ fans at the ground.

Ingram took a liking to Holder’s bowling and proceeded to beat him out of the attack. In the sixth over, he lashed 16 runs off the tall fast bowler. Ingram pulled the second ball over midwicket for six, he hammered the next over backward point for another maximum, and the fourth ball was elegantly played through the cover for four.

Ingram’s onslaught on Holder forced him to bring Walsh into the attack. His first over yielded 15 runs. The fourth ball was launched by de Grandehomme over deep square-leg for six and the sixth delivery sailed over the mid-wicket boundary.

The return of Al Hasan for a second spell ended the 37-run third-wicket partnership between Grandehomme and Ingram. They took the score to 77 for three when Ingram tried to play a forcing stroke into the on-side, the ball popped into the air and the bowler held a fine catch, he top-scored with 25 from 17-balls and counted two fours and two sixes.

His dismissal led to a dramatic collapse that saw the Zouks losing seven wickets for 40 runs. Seven runs after Ingram’s departure, left-arm seamer Ramon Reifer induced Grandehomme to edge the ball into the safe hands of Wash at slip.

Hardus Viljoen who scored 22 from 23 balls struck two fours and six, tried to guide the innings before Gurney induced him to edge to the wicketkeeper Johnson Charles. His wicket fell with the score on 111 for five, by then the Zouks required 31 runs from 27 balls.

Walsh who has been the bowler with the  golden arm whenever he has been given the opportunity to play in this year’s tournament, took three wickets in the 17th over. He tossed up a leg-break to Christopher Barnwell who struck it into the hands of Holder at long-off. Captain Darren Sammy scored just one run before he struck a short ball from Walsh high into the air for Justin Greaves to take a good catch at deep mid-wicket. The next ball Krishmar Santokie skied a catch to J.P Duminy at mid-wicket leaving the Zouks in deep trouble at 114 for eight.

The inning quickly folded with the dismissal of Kesrick Williams who offered a dolly to Duminy at long-on off Gurney. Walsh performed the final rites when he had last man Fawad Ahmed caught by Holder at long-off.

Walsh had the remarkable figures of four wickets for 26 runs, while Gurney was outstanding with three wickets for 17 runs from 3.4 overs.

Earlier, the Tridents mustered 141 for the loss of six wickets after winning the toss and electing to bat. Charles top-scored with 47 and Greaves contributed 27. Santokie took two wickets for 25 runs with his left-arm medium pace while right-arm medium pacer Viljoen dismissed 2 batsmen for 26 runs.

The Tridents’ victory over the Zouks would have eased some of the pain after their heartbreaking lost by one run to the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Saturday night.

Scores: Tridents 141 for 6 (J. Charles 47, J. Greaves 27; K. Santokie 2/25, H. Viljoen 2/26). Zouks 117 in 18. 4 overs (C. Ingram 25, H. Viljoen 22, C. de Grandhomme 21, R. Cornwall 19; H. Walsh 4/26, H. Gurney 3/17)