…King, Allen star in eight-wicket victory
By Clifton Ross
JAMAICA Tallawahs romped to their third Hero CPL title after Brandon King’s half-century was instrumental in his team’s commanding eight-wicket victory over Barbados Royals in last night’s final at Providence Stadium.
With no Guyana Amazon Warriors to cheer for, the local crowd still supported the two overseas franchises who put on one final show to bring down curtains on the 10th season of CPL T20 action.
The Royals were indebted to Azam Khan, who banged the ball last night for his top-score of 51 off 40 balls, smashing three sixes and four fours as Barbados Royals reached an inadequate 161 for seven in their 20 overs, after opting to bat first.
Openers, Captain Kyle Mayers (29) and Rahkeem Cornwall (36) set the tone for Azam, as little contributions were made by the other batters.
It was a two-man show of mixed bowling for the Tallawahs, with medium-pacer Nicholas Gordon snaring 3-30 while the left-arm spin of all-rounder Fabian Allen yielded returns of 3-24, as the pair did the majority of the damage for their team.
In reply, it was a brilliant chase by the eventual champs, who cruised to victory, surging to 162 for two in 16.1 overs, thanks to a king’s knock from the opener King, who led the charge with an undefeated 83 from 50 balls.
The right-hander punched 13 fours along with a pair of sixes, one of which finished the game in grand style, taking his team to yet another title, following triumphs in 2013 and 2016.
Centurion from the previous game, Shamarh Brooks played a classy hand despite missing out on a half-century. The Bajan stroked a 33-ball 47 which was laced with six fours and two sixes, sharing a second wicket stand of 86 with King.
King and Brooks consolidated after Kennar Lewis (0) failed yet again. The pair cut loose as they put the Tallawahs in pole position to facilitate captain Rovman Powell (14 not out), who came in after the departure of Brooks but was there in the end to see his team to their title.
King teamed up with his skipper and the pair made light work of the remaining runs, racing to an unbroken third-wicket stand of 75 from 35 balls, knocking the wind out of the Royals sail, as they strolled across the victory line with ease.
The Barbados Royals had earlier sought to keep the little momentum they had as Cornwall and Mayers added 63 for the first wicket.
Cornwall muscled two fours and four sixes while Mayers clobbered six fours as both batters looked ominous, before Allen snuffed the wickets of both openers.
Khan settled into his knock with tempered aggression and a touch of class, stabilizing the innings. The Pakistani kept things together, helping the Royals past the 100-run tally in the 13th over.
The burly Khan eventually reached his half-century off 39 deliveries, adding 48 with Holder (17). With the departure of both batsmen, the lanky Gordon ripped through the lower-order to wrap up the innings in a hurry.
Following the match, King was named Hero of the tournament, while Allen who was adjudged Hero of the Match, dedicating his three wickets to his late father.
Royals all-rounder Ramon Simmonds was named the emerging Under-25 player of the tournament. Jamaica have now become the only franchise to win a CPL title after placing fourth the preliminary stages of the tournament.
