Spinners bamboozle Knight Riders

TAROUBA, Trinidad:

Led by left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, St Lucia Kings spun a web around the Trinbago Knight Riders on their way to registering a seven-wicket victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League on Wednesday night.

Player-of-the-Match Shamsi took three wickets, while fellow left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and off spinner Roston Chase took two wickets apiece, to skittle out the home side for a paltry 109 in 18.1 overs at the Brian Lara Stadium.

The Kings then lost three wickets in their chase, easing to 112 for three in 11.1 overs to win with 53 balls remaining.

The result was almost a forgone conclusion after Shamsi, Pierre and Chase ran through the Knight Riders' top and middle order to bowl them out for their lowest total in this year's competition.

Pierre struck with the second ball of the innings when he had Colin Munro caught on the midwicket boundary for a duck.

Darren Bravo looked good early on, but after hitting Pierre for a six off the first ball of the third over, he was dismissed the next ball, caught at short fine leg.

Alex Hales and skipper Nicholas Pooran added 28 runs for the third wicket as they tried to repair the early damage.

However, Chase broke the partnership by bowling Hales and two balls later Shamsi bowled Akeal Hosein for a first-ball duck to see the Knight Riders slump to 41 for four.

Chase then grabbed the crucial wicket of Pooran, caught behind for the topscore of 30 off 27 balls, following a review after he was initially given not out.

Shamsi accounted for Andre Russell for 12 and Kieron Pollard for 14, as the home side collapsed to 82 for seven.

Medium pacer Delano Potgieter then grabbed two late wickets to wrap up the innings and put the Knight Riders out of their misery.

Shamsi ended with 3-12 from his four overs, Chase took 2-19, Pierre 2-31, and Potgieter 2-6 from his solitary over.

Needing a miracle to keep their five-match winning streak alive, Sunil Narine dismissed Johnson Charles for one with the score on 26.

But Tim Seifert, who struck an aggressive 36 off 19 balls and Ackeem Auguste, added 40 runs for the second wicket in quick time as the Kings motored along to 66 for one after six overs.

They both fell in quick succession though, with Usman Tariq accounting for Siefert while Narine trapped Auguste lbw for 28, to leave the Kings 73 for three in the eighth over.

But Chase scored an unbeaten 27 off 18 balls and Tim David finished on 17 not out to carry the Kings to their fifth victory and 12 points from their eight matches, ahead of the Knight Riders on net run rate.

- CMC