CPL REVIEW: No-nonsense Nabi and Trinbago terrific again

JACK BUTLER takes a look at matches fifteen and sixteen of this year's CPL as Thursday night's double-header showed the very best and very worst of the CPL

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Non-nonsense Nabi

Once again St Kitts and Nevis Patriots disappointed with both bat and ball. Maybe their poor form was to be expected, but their performances echo worrying similarities; no structure, no game plan, no match-winners - it's a mess, bottom of the table with one win.

Against the St Lucia Zouks, the Patriots were powerless to another Nabi masterclass; the Afghanistan international exposed the now culminating crisis at the top of the St Kitts batting order. At the start of the tournament, Chris Lynn and Evan Lewis seemed a dynamic duo that could win games if they hit their highest gears. Five games in and Lynn is still struggling to get into top gear and Lewis seems burdened by the responsibility of carrying the rest of the line-up. 

Hindered by match practice, Lynn spooned a delivery back into the hands of Nabi. Next, Nick Kelly edged to first slip as St Kitts finished the first over at 0 for 2. Somehow, after starting with a double-wicket maiden it got worse for St Kitts. Denesh Ramdin caught before Evin Lewis chipped to Roston Chase. The Patriots were bemused and beaten; Nabi had 4-7 in two overs. 

Exposing the used surface at the Queens Park Oval, spinners dominated. Zahir Khan impressed with a googly that dismissed Hamilton; a drag down for Rahkeem Cornwall dismissed Ben Dunk, and Nabi had Sohail Tanvir caught for his five-for.

Growing problems were exemplified as St Kitts looked beaten before they had attempted to defend their below-par total. After watching their batsmen struggle against spin, they opened with pace. Sohail Tanvir was dispatched by Rahkeem Cornwall who hit two fours and two sixes of the opening over. The first maximum was whipped over square-leg, the second saw Cornwall rock on the backfoot and power the ball over mid-off. Next, the West-Indian hit Imran for six over mid-wicket to finish with 26 from 11 when he was bowled. An ugly way to go, but it was job done; in two overs, Cornwall had scored over a fifth of the runs required. 

St Kitts fortunes were epitomised when the ball was thrown to Ben Dunk. Manning a floppy hat and golden sunglasses, Dunk cut a bowler right from the village green. Kitts had thrown the towel in; Dunk was bowling (I think) off-spin and was dispatched.

With the bat, Zouks impressed again against weak opposition. A run-a-ball 27 from Chase - who is proving to be a hugely beneficial asset in this year's competition - and 33 from Najibullah Zadran guided St Lucia to a comfortable six-wicket victory. Chasing down to the below bar total down in 15 overs, the Zouks never looked in trouble. 

Terrific Trinbago (again!)

The side captained Kieron Pollard are quite good, aren't they? The tournament favourites sit top of the table and remain unbeaten after a comprehensive victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors. 

On Thursday, Khary Pierre was the star of another imposing bowling display, taking vital wickets of Chanderpaul Hemraj and Nicholas Pooran as the Warriors stumbled to 12-3. Pierre's third wicket came courtesy of an exceptional piece of fielding from Tion Webster. A fantastic bit of quick-step, saw the Trinbago bowler run, jump, and then leap back into the playing field to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford.

.@WebsterTion, you beauty! 🔥 An absolute screamer near the ropes to get rid of Rutherford. Partnership broken - five wickets down! Khary has another wicket

— Trinbago Knight Riders (@TKRiders) August 27, 2020

AMAZING! What a catch from Tion Webster, he timed this perfectly. #CPL20 #GAWvTKR #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/6KGMlJiPwg

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 27, 2020

Only a quick knock from Keemo Paul – which featured two straight sixes – could muscle The Warriors to a below bar score of 112. 

In the Trinbago innings, spin again shone as Tahir set off on his celebratory laps of the Queen's Park Oval twice in over. First, a beautifully flighted googly dismissed Lendl Simmons before a textbook leggy bowled Colin Munro for a golden duck. Darren Bravo blocked the next ball, which was a shame because who knows where Tahir would have ended up had he taken a hat-trick. 

Two in two balls from Imran Tahir. #CPL20 #GAWvTKR #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/QRVgBE07GZ

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 27, 2020

Any chances of a Warriors win were muted by Tim Siefert who alongside Bravo guided Trinbago from 52 for 3 to 115 for 3. Both were watchful, both hit boundaries, and both were not out when Trinabgo comfortably won by seven wickets. Again, the Knight Riders' performance showed why they are comfortably the tournament's best side on paper. This year's CPL is theirs to lose. 

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