Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin hit polished half-centuries as the Trinbago Knight Riders cruised to a seven-wicket win over the St Lucia Zouks and their third straight victory in this year's Hero Caribbean Premier League.
Playing in front of a packed house at the Queen's Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, Man-of-the-match Simmons hit 63 while Ramdin finished on an unbeaten even 50 as the home side, chasing 168 for victory, got there with just over two overs to spare.
The victory pushed TKR to sole leadership of the table with a maximum six points from as many matches. They moved ahead of the Guyana Amazon Warriors (4 pts), who are playing the Barbados Tridents in the late match Sunday
Simmons took the attack to the opposition and had the crowd jumping and waving from the start after TKR restricted the visitors to 167 for five. He took the fight to the Zouks, slamming the ball to all parts of the park, as he amassed his first half-century this season, hitting five fours and five sixes off just 39 balls.
Simmons was finally out in the 12th over, stumped by Andre Fletcher off a wide delivery from Kavem Hodge, with TKR on 106 for three. After this onslaught, however, the game was as good as over.
Ramdin then marshalled the middle order well to finish with an even 38-ball half-century, which featured five fours and five sixes.
Skipper Kieron Pollard was with him at the end on 26 not out having faced 20 balls and hitting two sixes and a four.
Earlier, Rahkeem Cornwall and Andre Fletcher were quick out the blocks and hammered the bowling of TKR opening duo Khary Pierre and Muhammad Hasnain. Cornwall in particular silenced the crowd with a massive onslaught. After three overs, the score was 41 without loss and even the tassa drummers were in shock, putting down their equipment temporarily.
Pollard had to ring the changes and brought in champion spinner Sunil Narine. And he delivered immediately, sending Cornwall back to the hut leg before off his second ball. The Antiguan made 33 runs off 12 balls with two sixes and five fours.
Fletcher then took over and continued the ball beating much to the chagrin of the local fans who braved the 37-degree heat to be at the ground. Pollard was too wise for him though, as he brought himself on, took pace off the ball and had the Grenadian caught at the deep mid-wicket boundary for 26. Fletcher faced 32 balls and struck a six and two fours.
After that, Najibullah Zadran scored a quickfire 26 off 17 balls with two fours and two sixes. However, holding the innings together so the others could bat around him was the left-handed John Campbell, who made 43 runs off 42 balls with four fours and a six.
SUMMARISED SCORES
ST LUCIA ZOUKS 167-5 (John Campbell 43, Rakheem Cornwall 33, Andre Fletcher 26, Najibullah Zadran 26, Jimmy Neesham 2/33, Sunil Narine 1/23) v TKR 168-3 (Lendl Simmons 63, Denesh Ramdin 50 no, Kieron Pollard 26 no, Kesrick Williams 1/31)
Result: TKR won by 7 wkts
Man of the match: Lendl Simmons