Knight Riders pull of outstanding chase
Thu, Sep 19, '24
Back to back sixes off the bat of Tim David at the start of the final over saw Trinbago Knight Riders defeat Guyana Amazon Warriors by five wickets in a pulsating match in Port of Spain. Both sides had periods of dominance in a mid-table clash that lived up to its billing as one of the standout fixtures of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Kieron Pollard called the coin toss correctly and elected to field first at the Queens Park Oval and his side gave Dwayne Bravo a touching guard of honour in what could be the veteran all-rounder’s final game at the iconic ground having announced his CPL retirement earlier in the competition.
No inch was given with the ball though as the Warriors were reduced to 76/7 before Romario Shepherd posted a crucial half century from the lower order in order to rescue his side and put up a competitive total of 148/7.
The chase was a cagey and undulating affair, with the Knight Riders at 89/5 and struggling to find the boundary in the middle overs, the match very much hung in the balance. The 17th over proved the crucial one for the Knight Riders as Player of the Match Andre Russell smeared three sixes off the bowling of Nathan Sowter in order to haul down the target and allow David to finish the job at the last.
“The mindset was that I know I can hit sixes and that Tim David is a six-hitter as well. I told him that we had 24 balls, and we had to hit eight sixes.”
An emotional Russell also paid tribute to Dwayne Bravo in the moments after the match.
“Who I am today, has a lot to do with him. I am just happy to be part of this game. That's why it was an emotional celebration, he deserved that win... I think he'll shed a tear tonight. This one is for DJ Bravo."
The game was played in an intense but sporting spirit and was a high class affair with both teams looking to secure their qualification for the latter stages of the competition. The victory sees the Knight Riders well placed on eight points from five games, a fairytale end for Dwayne Bravo in the CPL still on the cards.
