CPL DAILY: Tallawahs on the brink as Tridents aim to keep last four hopes alive

TEDDIE CASTERTON: The Cricketer looks ahead to the next two matches of the group stage with one berth in the semi-finals still up for grabs...

• CPL expansion is inevitable but it must occur on the right terms

Who’s Playing?

Game One: Jamaica Tallawahs v St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

Game Two: Barbados Tridents v Guyana Amazon Warriors

Jamaica Tallawahs can go within touching distance of a semi-final place with victory over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. After propping up the table in 2019, a fourth group stage win could be good enough to book their place in the knock-out phase before the weekend. The Patriots do remain in contention to qualify, but they must win their final two matches and need a major swing in net run-rate to stand any chance of progressing. Defeat in Tarouba will end their campaign and raise the prospect of them finishing bottom of the pile.

If the first meeting between these two sides is any indication, then Tallawahs are well on course for the semi-finals. They prevailed by 37 runs at the Queen's Park Oval after St Kitts slumped to 110 in pursuit of 148 to win. You'd have to go back to August 25 for their last victory, when it took a remarkable Evin Lewis knock to take them over the line against Barbados Tridents. You fancy that similar heroics are required just to make them competitive this time around.

Barbados Tridents can ill-afford any slip-ups if they have any ambition of taking a semi-final place. Victory for Tallawahs in the early match won't change their job dramatically; they can't afford any slip-ups. They do of course face their Jamaican rivals this weekend, but Glenn Phillips' side crucially have a game in hand. Tridents have plenty to do.

Opponents Guyana Amazon Warriors are gearing up for their final group matches knowing they have already qualified for the last four. Victory will maintain their hopes of being seeded for the semi-finals, but either way, they have a five-day break until their next encounter. The last clash between these two sides ended in an embarrassing one-sided win for the Warriors, who were set just 93 to win which they reached with 20 balls remaining.

Who should I watch out for?

Phillips remains the No.1 run-scorer in the competition and with scores having not been particularly high in this competition, his contribution is likely to be key for the Tallawahs. And with the leading wicket-taker in the CPL in the ranks in the form of Mujeeb ur Rahman, they seemingly have all the answers heading into this do or die clash with St Kitts.

Guyana have their own big-hitting batsman in the form of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer but they face the ultimate match in the form of Rashid Khan. Not at his absolute best in this tournament but the Afghanistan spinner but only two players have a better economy rate having played more than eight matches.

Predictions?

The Tallawahs will put away St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots with ease.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors to pull off the double against the Barbados Tridents.

^{Shimron Hetmyer will be eyeing up the boundary once again}

Where can I watch?

Sky Sports have the rights in the UK and are showing all 33 CPL fixtures on their various platforms.

Will the weather play a part?

At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy thunderstorms will be around in the early stages of the day – however, they should dissipate by the evening.

The Cricketer's coverage of the CPL comes in collaboration with the Caribbean Cricket Podcast

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