Falcons were felled in a rain-affected fixture at the Mecca

he Barbados Royals played just the third tie of their Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign on Wednesday night at the iconic Kensington Oval, the 13th match of this year’s six-team championship. And they duly won their third match on the trot, despite a few nervous moments, and some anxiety from the rain.

 

The Royals won the toss and chose to bowl against the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, whom they had already beaten earlier in the competition. After a four-game losing streak to start their inaugural season, though, the Falcons had been flying high with two wins on the bounce to move into fourth place.

 

The Falcons also added allrounder Hassan Khan as replacement for Fakhar Zaman for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old left-arm spinner and right-handed batter was with the squad in Barbados, but not named in the XI.

 

Only one home team had won this season in the CPL. Aiming to become the second, Rovman Powell’s Royals welcomed South Africans David Miller and Keshav Maharaj back to the squad, the latter to debut. West Indies batsman Alick Athanaze was declared fit after a finger injury. All three were included for the 2022 runners-up.

 

The Falcons got off to a flying start on a firm deck at the Mecca, compiling 55 runs by the time they lost their first wicket, Brandon King for 27 at the start of the seventh over, caught off the bowling of Maharaj. It was the sole wicket for the 34-year-old left-arm spinner, but he gave up just 19 runs from his four overs.

 

Justin Greaves, King’s opening partner, continued on to an unbeaten 61 runs from 52 balls. In partnership with Sam Billings, he added 92 for the second wicket. Billings made 56 from 43 deliveries. By then, there were just 16 balls left to face, but from 147-2, the Falcons added just 29 runs and lost three wickets.

 

Barbados and West Indies veteran allrounder Jason Holder and Afghanistani pacer Naveen-ul-Haq precipitated the poor finish, taking the last four wickets between them.

 

Billings was bowled by Holder, albeit somewhat fortuitously. The Bajan then had Fabian Allen caught behind for one.

 

Naveen-ul-Haq got Chris Green for four and Roshon Primus for six, the latter caught by Holder, before a late flourish of 10 off three balls by Shamar Springer gave the Falcons a little bit of breathing room.

 

“They bowled really well throughout that middle phase,” Billings offered. “We have spoken about having not mastered those middle overs. You need a little bit of luck in this game. Nice to spend some time out in the middle. Very hard to start off on that pitch.

 

“We will be really happy with that innings. Lot of grip and into the pitch made it tricky. Whenever they bowled off-pace, it reacted differently. To get 175, it is a really good score. If you bowl well, that is slightly above-par.”

 

The Royals were off to an inauspicious start, Mohammad Amir bowling a maiden to Rahkeem Cornwall. But the big man stole a leg bye off the last ball, and faced the second over from Green, slapping it to Primus for the opening wicket.

 

Athanaze came in following Cornwall’s dismissal, stroking Green for an early boundary on the reverse. Quinton de Kock hit a four of his own, and the home fans were soon on their feet, as 18 runs came off Green’s fifth over, including two fours from de Kock’s bat, and a six from his Dominican partner’s.

 

With 48 runs from the powerplay, the Royals were more or less on target, with the Falcons having been 55 without loss at the same stage.

 

The Royals were getting little change, though, from Imad Wasim, Shamar Springer, and Mohammad Amir. The trio allowed only 38 runs off their first seven overs combined, even though Green was going for over 10 per over.

 

Just before the halfway mark, though, disaster struck for the Royals. A mid-pitch collision between the two batsmen led to Athanaze being run out for 34 off 29 balls with three fours and a six, off the penultimate ball of the 10th over. The Royals at the halfway mark were 75-2 with a required run rate of 10.2 per over.

 

Wasim bowled the 11th over, which yielded just six. But into the attack came Roshon Primus, who sent down a very eventful over. He bowled 13 balls, inclusive of four wides and three no-balls. To add insult to injury, all but one of his legal deliveries went for runs, de Kock hitting a six and David Miller two fours.

 

Primus did have de Kock caught behind off his fourth legal delivery, leading to Miller’s introduction. The South African had made 48 from 30 balls, comprising four fours and two sixes. A Primus no-ball, fittingly, brought up the 100 for the Royals, in 11.5 overs (74 balls). The Falcons had reached that milestone in 12.6 overs (78 balls).

 

Kofi James came in to bowl the 14th over, and the Antiguan off-spinner went for 13 runs, Rovman Powell bashing a mighty six, and Miller his third four to bring the Royals on par with the asking rate, and  well ahead of the DLS par score.

 

That par score came into play as umpires halted the match a little after 10:00 pm. After a second stoppage, with the Royals 127-3, 10 runs ahead on DLS, the match was called, with the home team claiming victory. On Friday, they face Trinbago Knight Riders at the Mecca.

(TF)