SAINT LUCIA ZOUKS V BARBADOS TRIDENTS

SOFIA WESTABY REPORTS FROM SAINT LUCIA

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Darren Sammy starred once again, taking three wickets for 18 runs in a man-of-the-match performance that propelled the Saint Lucia Zouks to their second home victory, defeating the Barbados Tridents by seven wickets.

In a commanding overall team performance the home side batted down a D/L amended total of 131 for the loss of just three wickets, putting them level on points with fourth placed Trinidad and Tobago Knight Riders.

Having dodged a Caribbean rain shower, the game began in a surprisingly subdued, but steady manner. Under the scorching mid-day sun the crowd – peppered with a smattering of English tourists who politely clapped the boundaries – was a little less Caribbean and a little more Home of Cricket.

An opening partnership worth 51 and the visitors looked to be crafting out the foundations for a decent total. But, just when the Tridents were looking to get comfortable, man of the moment Sammy struck with a slower full toss that found Ahmed Shahzad’s top edge.

The wicket, in the 3rd ball of the seventh, sparked the beginning of the end for the Tridents, who could do nothing to prevent the stream of dismissals that followed.

Even their big hitting captain Kieron Pollard – famous for taking the game away from the world’s top bowlers – was unable to make much impact. Pollard came, he saw, but, alas, he did not conquer – caught and bowled on 20 by Delorn Johnson.

Kyle Hope had tried to dig in and squeeze out a decent total for his side. But in the end his 55 off 48 was lost in a team performance worthy of just 137 runs, despite having won the toss and elected to bat.

With very little pressure on the Zouks’ batsman Carnival fever swept from the stands to the players in the middle. Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher, when not scoring boundaries, were busy between the wickets, taking 13 off the first over.

The pair built a commanding 88-run partnership. Fletcher showing Merchant de Lange who was boss, dispatching him over the deep midwicket boundary for three consecutive sixes - the second of which was spilled over the rope by de Lange’s fellow countryman David Wiese.

The colourful and straight talking PA announcer chipped in with a quick, “oh sh**”, which was echoed by the Saint Lucian fans and added insult to injury as the Tridents collectively hunched over and put hands on hips.

Like in the first innings, it took the captain - Kieron Pollard - to make the first breakthrough. Finding the outside edge of Fletcher, who departed for 45 off 41 and dismissing his partner two overs later, for 41 from 34.

The damage, however, had been done.

Unable to claw back momentum, even the wicket of Shane Watson would not go the Tridents way. Watson had miss hit his shot and finding the man at long on, was practically in the dressing room when the call came for him to return to the crease as Ravi Rampaul had over stepped the line.

Eventually, though, Rampaul would achieve a small victory in getting his man two overs later.

With defeat imminent, Pollard lost his cool. New batsman David Miller piled on the humiliation, lofting the Trident’s captain over the boundary for six and sneaking the next ball just wide of the wicket keeper for four.

A master class in ruffling feathers, Miller merely smiled as Pollard threw the ball in the direction of the batsman in disgust.

Requiring six from 18 balls, it was a straightforward finish. The Zouks laying down the gauntlet that it is not just home grown talent that benefit from playing at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Saint Lucia provides a home advantage for them all.

Photos: CPL/Sportsfile

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