GROS ISLET – Sherfane Rutherford’s Player-of-the-Match performance helped the Barbados Tridents out muscle the St Lucia Kings by nine runs in their rain-affected contest in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League in Saint Lucia on Sunday.
In a match that was reduced to 18 overs per side after consistent showers delayed the start of play by over an hour, Rutherford’s superb 61 off 31 balls breathed life back into the Tridents’ innings in the latter stages, as they posted a formidable 177 for five at the Daren Sammy National Stadium.
The home side was looking threatening at one stage, until Motie’s three-wicket haul helped the visitors seize control, with his heroics allowing them to limit their opponents to 168 for seven.
After being sent in to bat, the Tridents suffered the early loss of opener Zachary Carter for just two, but Brandon King and Quinton de Kock’s 56-run partnership carried them to 63 for one inside six overs.
And even when Roston Chase accounted for the wickets of de Kock for a speedy 38 from 15 balls and King for 39 off 28 balls, the Tridents were still comfortably placed at 90 for three in the 10th over.
Rutherford began his innings cautiously before unleashing his fury, blasting Chase for a six and four off consecutive deliveries in the 12th over.
His partner, Rivaldo Clarke, meanwhile struggled to get the ball off the square and find the gaps, resulting in the Tridents creeping up to 119 for three after 14 overs.
Rutherford took charge shortly after, however, hitting Matthew Forde for two sixes in the ensuing over and followed up by thumping Khari Campbell for two consecutive sixes in the 17th over, the latter bringing up his half-century in 27 balls.
Shadley van Schalkwyk eventually claimed his wicket in the final over, after he pummelled five sixes and three fours and he also had Clarke caught for a pedestrian 23 off 27 balls two balls later, before captain Chris Green ended the innings in fine style by hitting him for six off the last ball.
The Kings were given a solid start by openers Johann Jeremiah and Chase, with the two putting on 41 runs while scoring at almost 10 runs an over.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman broke the partnership by having Jeremiah caught for 11, before Motie bowled Chase for 34 off 21 balls to leave the score 59 for two after six overs.
The Kings suffered a setback when Jewel Andrew was forced to retire hurt after picking up an injury to his right thigh, but Jewel Andrew and Charith Asalanka put them back on track during a stand of 55 runs for the third wicket.
Auguste smashed Green for two sixes and a four in the ninth over and brought up his half-century off 28 balls by thumping pacer Ramon Simmonds for consecutive sixes in the 12th over that yielded 20 runs.
However, when Ur Rahman struck to dismiss Asalanka for eight, the Kings’ chase lost momentum with Motie returning to bowl Auguste for the topscore of 63 off 34 balls, inclusive of six sixes and three fours, while also snaring the wicket of van Schalkwyk to see the Kings crumble to 134 for five in the 16th over.
Needing 44 runs from 12 balls, Matthew Forde tried his best in an unbeaten cameo of 24 off 17 balls, but it proved to be insufficient to save the home side from a second defeat in four games.
Motie finished with 3-22, while Ur Rahman took 2-27 to help the Tridents win their second match on the trot and jump to the top of the table.
CMC
Summarised scores
BARBADOS TRIDENTS 177-5 in 18 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 61, Brandon King 39, Quinton de Kock 38, Rivaldo Clarke 23; Shadley van Schalkwyk 2-25, Roston Chase 2-30) vs ST LUCIA KINGS 168-7 in 18 overs (Ackeem Auguste 63, Roston Chase 34, Matthew Forde 24 not out, Amari Goodridge 13, Johann Jeremiah 11; Gudakesh Motie 3-22, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-27).
Barbados Tridents won by nine runs.
