By Randy Bennett
Spectators at Kensington Oval were treated to a royal performance tonight. Unfortunately for the home fans, it came from the Trinbago Knight Riders.
Opening batsman Martin Guptil stroked a magnificent, unbeaten century and Andre Russell ploughed through the Barbados Royals’ top order to dismiss them for one of the lowest scores in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) history as the Knight Riders romped to a dominant 133-run victory.
Guptil’s even 100, containing one four and nine sixes, was the cornerstone of the Knight Rider’s 194-5 from their 20 overs, the second highest total of this year’s tournament.
In reply, the Royals were bundled out for a disappointing 61 in only 12.1 overs.
The Royals’ score was the third lowest in the CPL’s history, behind only the 52 made by the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2013 and the then Barbados Tridents who were routed for 59 in 2017 by the Amazon Warriors, also at Kensington Oval.
The thousands of spectators in attendance would have been hoping for a Royals victory in the first CPL match to be held at Kensington in four years.
However, what they were treated to was a clinical performance from Guptil and a destructive opening spell from Russell which sent the Royals to their second loss in four matches.
Guptil was absolutely brilliant, using a measured approach at first before transforming in the latter part of his innings to bludgeon the Royals’ bowlers all over the ground.
Together with Mark Deyal, who scored 27 off 19 balls with two fours and two sixes, they added 41 for the first wicket at a steady if not sensational rate.
Jason Holder eventually got the breakthrough when he bowled Deyal with a yorker in the sixth over.
The introduction of leg-spinner Qais Ahmad in the ninth over paid immediate dividends, as he had Nicholas Pooran caught and bowled for just six to leave the Knight Riders on 69-2.
His dismissal brought captain Kieron Pollard to the crease and problems for the Royals bowlers.
Guptil had been anything but sensational in the first 10 overs, hitting only one four and four sixes. He was content to work the ball around the square and collect singles and twos.
The pair moved the Knight Riders past 100 in the 14th over as the Royals kept themselves in the contest with steady bowling and good fielding.
But once Guptil brought up his 50 in the 15th over off 40 balls with a late cut off Ahmad for two, he immediately switched gears.
He smashed Ahmad for two sixes in the 15th over that yielded 22 runs, while Powell added a third.
A slower ball from Holder was dispatched by Guptil over midwicket for another six and when the fast bowler opted to bowl from around the wicket he was bludgeoned over long on for another six.
Powell was not to be left out, clubbing Roelof van der Merwe for six over long off and slog sweeping him through midwicket for four, as the Knight Riders moved to 160-2 after 17 overs.
Powell was eventually dismissed, holing out to mid-off off van der Merwe for 46 from 32 balls, inclusive of one boundary and four sixes.
Guptil then took complete control.
Facing Holder in the last over on 89, he drove the first ball to cover for two, slapped a short wide ball for six, slogged a ball to long on for another couple before bringing up his century with a single to cover.
The Royals were never in with a chance after openers Raheem Cornwall and Kyle Mayers were both dismissed for ducks.
Cornwall was superbly caught at slip by Dwayne Bravo off the very first ball of the innings from Russell and Mayers followed two balls later, adjudged lbw after the Knight Riders opted to review to leave them wobbling at 1-2.
Russell struck again in his second over when he had Athanaze caught at mid-off by Pooran for two as they slipped even further at 5-3.
Left-arm wrist spinner Mohammad Salamkheil then ran through the middle order by snaring four wickets, as only Holder, captain Rovman Powell and Ahmad got past 10 for the Royals.Â
