BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Johnson Charles took full advantage of a controversial decision by the third umpire to power the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to an impressive six-wicket victory over the Barbados Tridents in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League here on Tuesday night.
Thanks mainly to Quinton de Kock’s superb century, the Tridents would have fancied their chances of ending their two-game skid when they posted a formidable 217 for four in 20 overs at Warner Park after being asked to bat.
However, Charles, who was given out and then recalled to the field, returned to blast 78 off 45 balls as the home side pulled off the fourth highest chase in CPL history to get up to 220 for four with five balls remaining.
But the talking point of the night was undoubtedly the decision by TV umpire Carl Tuckett to reverse the ruling by the onfield umpires in giving Charles out.
The Patriots got off to a blistering start with Charles and Kyle Mayers putting on 28 runs in the first three overs.
After hitting left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds for six in the second ball of the fourth over, Charles hit a full toss three balls later to deep midwicket where he was spectacularly caught by Sherfane Rutherford when he was 26 and the score 35.
Despite Charles arguing that the delivery was a waist-high no ball, he was initially given out, but as he trudged off the field, the third umpire reviewed the footage once again and overturned the decision, calling the batsman back to the crease.
It proved to be a decisive moment in the match, as Johnson and Charles put on a further 77 runs to give the Patriots a blazing start during a partnership of 112 runs in just over 10 overs.
During that stand, Charles reached his half century in 29 balls by thumping Mujeeb Ur Rahman through cover point for four.
Rutherford got the breakthrough for the Tridents when he had Mayers run out at the non-striker’s end off his bowling for 29.
Charles eventually perished after hitting seven sixes and six fours, but knocks of 36 from Dasun Shanaka, an unbeaten 22 from Andre Fletcher and Wanindu Hasaranga, who finished unbeaten on 18 off four balls carried the Patriots over the line.
Earlier, de Kock’s 106 from just 57 balls with 11 fours and six sixes put the Tridents in a strong position.
Together with opener Zachary Carter, who smashed 57 off 36 balls and hit seven sixes and one four, they shared a 116-run partnership for the second wicket following the early loss of Brandon King, who made just four.
Hasaranga ended the stand by having Carter caught, but de Kock and Sherfane Rutherford added 70 runs in six overs to see the visitors progress to 189 for three in the 19th over.
De Kock reached his second CPL century off 54 balls by hitting Holder for a six and four off successive deliveries in the 18th over.
It took an unbelievable diving catch by Navin Bidaisee at deep cover to dismiss de Kock, but captain Chris Green finished the innings in fine style by hitting two sixes in his unbeaten knock of 18 off seven balls.