‘VERY SPECIAL’

Captain Rovman Powell described his team’s exciting run-chase as “very special” after Jamaica Kingsmen demolished Barbados Tridents by nine wickets to stay alive in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on Wednesday. Chasing 145 for victory, the Kingsmen cantered to the target with the loss of just one wicket in just 14.1 overs on the back of a brutal century from Maaz Sadaqat, booking a spot against the loser of Qualifier 1 between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Antigua & Barbuda Falcons this evening for a place in Sunday’s final. Guyana Amazon Warriors and Antigua & Barbuda Falcons were scheduled to clash in Qualifier 2 on Thursday. When asked how special that run chase was, the Kingsmen skipper said the win was no accident but the execution of a clear team plan to let the top order set the table for the big hitters. “It was very special. Something we sat down as a team and discussed. If our top two, top three batters can give us a very good start, a very good platform, then it allows myself, Andre Russell, and Hassan, those power-hitters, with a platform being laid, to come out and express ourselves a little bit more,” Powell said in a televised interview. Earlier, the Tridents had been rescued from the brink of collapse. Sent in to bat, they slumped to 30-5 in 6.5 overs before half-centuries from Quinton de Kock, 71 off 49 balls, and captain Chris Green, 57 not out off 44 balls, added 114 for the sixth wicket to push them to 144-6.

Chris Green of Barbados Tridents attempts to take a catch during the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Eliminator versus Jamaica Kingsmen at Kensington Oval on Wednesday.

Andre Russell took 2-36 from 3.5 overs, with Powell bowling the final ball of his spell, while Hassan Khan, Saim Ayub and Husain Shah took one apiece. The reply was all Sadaqat. The left-hander hammered 112 off 49 balls with eight sixes and nine fours, sharing an opening stand of 138 with Kirk McKenzie, 22 not out off 34 balls. Saim Ayub finished on two not out as Daniel Sams took the only wicket. Despite dominating the Powerplay, Powell admitted his side was relieved to restrict the Tridents after de Kock and Green wrested back momentum.

Maaz Sadaqat of Jamaica Kingsmen celebrates his century during the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Eliminator match against Barbados Tridents at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Wednesday. (Photo: CPL T20)

“At the halfway stage, we were very, very pleased. If at the start of the day you had given us 144 to chase, we would have taken it. Having said that, even though they were four wickets down in the powerplay, credit has to be given to de Kock and their Captain Chris Green, and I think they batted really well,” Powell applauded. Explaining why he has given young spin bowler Vital Lawes rather than bowling him out, Powell said it was about learning his patterns and protecting his confidence. “I think it’s a case of we have realised some patterns with our team. It’s a case of myself also learning as a captain. I want to give him a lot of confidence, a lot of know-how to go out and bowl. But we have seen a trend where if he bowls back-to-back overs, he generally gets scored off,” Powell revealed.

POWELL...I think it’s a case of we have realised some patterns with our team

“The last game he played, he bowled two, three good overs, and then in the last over they take him down just a bit. So it’s a case of me just trying to make some matchups as a captain and see how best I can come up with 20 overs instead of having somebody who hasn’t bowled or over-bowled the last over,” Powell further said. Quizzed about Russell’s fitness after the all-rounder appeared jaded in the field, Powell moved quickly to allay any fears and praised his match-winning burst with the ball. “He’s good. He was also fit for us to bat tonight. He’s just a little bit jaded. Obviously, Andre is closer to 40 than he is to 30, so he’s somebody that we have to keep on taking care of. But tonight he was special,” Powell said. “We talked about getting early wickets, something he hadn’t really done for us all season. But in a play-off game, we know that our big players have to stand up. Showing the ball to him tonight and telling him to get me one or two in the powerplay — he did exactly that,” Powell stated. Looking ahead to the do-or-die Qualifier 2, Powell insisted there will be no complacency and demanded a 10-15 per cent improvement, especially in the field. “I think it’s a case of us replicating our performance. Tonight was good. We didn’t field as well as we wanted, so that is also something for us to work on. If we can also as a group improve 10-15 per cent, I’m very big on that, if we can keep on improving as a group, now is the time for us to rack up those very good performances,” he affirmed.