AYUB STARS AS KINGSMEN BEAT PATRIOTS

Jamaica Kingsmen picked up their third win of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and a second victory over the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots beating them by 11 runs in an exciting encounter at Warner Park. Saim Ayub produced an astonishing all-round performance, blasting a brilliant 102 from 58 balls. He then returned to bowl an economical four over spell picking up 1-for-20 removing the dangerous Andre Fletcher for 55.

Kingsmen had a rocky start to their innings Naseem Shah sent back Keacy Carty for a first ball duck, and then Maaz Sadaqat for 2 in his next over as Kingsmen ended the powerplay on 42-for-2.

Ayub shared in a 72-run 5th wicket partnership with Captain Rovman Powell who contributed 21 runs, Keemo Paul contributed an unbeaten 25 as the Kingsmen recovered to post a competitive 182 for 7 off their 20 overs. Hasaranga 2-for-18, Naseem Shah 2-for-35 and Obed McCoy 2-for-43 led the patriots bowling.

Rain delayed the Patriots’ reply, but when they began their chase, it was in an almost identical fashion to the Kingsmen. They managed 42 runs during the Power Play and lost three wickets, one more than the Kingsmen had at the same stage, with Jediah Blades and Keemo Paul providing the early breakthroughs. Kyle Mayers 8 and Johnson Charles 14 were the early casualties

The Patriots innings started to lose momentum in the middle overs before Andre Fletcher began to unleash his full range of shots, finding the boundary with increasing regularity and putting the Patriots back in contention. Then Ayub delivered another decisive blow, taking a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Fletcher. Dasun Shanaka (35) and Jason Holder (34) kept the Patriots’ hopes alive, taking 24 runs from Blades’ 18th over and setting up a tense finish.

Odean Smith was entrusted with the final over with 31 runs to defend Shanaka and went into attack mode launching three sixes off the first four deliveries. Smith held his nerve to close out the victory as the Patriots were restricted to 171-for-6.

The defeat leaves the Patriots rooted to the bottom of the table while the Kingsmen remain in fourth place