Falcons snatch last-over win in CPL thriller

BASSETERRE, St Kitts:

Bolstered by a superb lower order fightback, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons edged St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by two wickets in an exciting finish at Warner Park yesterday in the Caribbean Premier League T20 cricket competition.

In pursuit of the Patriots' total of 153 for eight in their allotted 20 overs, the Falcons reached 154 for eight with two balls remaining.

The result in the bottom-of-the-table clash saw the Falcons move up to third place with four points from six games, while the Patriots remained rooted in sixth position on two points, having lost five consecutive games since winning their opening fixture.

A Falcons victory didn't seem to be on the cards, though, after Wanindu Hasaranga ran through the middle order to leave them tottering on 110 for seven in the 16th over.

Hasaranga bowled opener Justin Greaves for 30, caught and bowled Jewel Andrew for three, trapped Shamar Springer lbw for a first ball duck and also dismissed Sam Billings for 18.

However, a 30-run partnership in just three overs between Player-of-the-Match Imad Wasim, who cracked 17 not out, and Roshon Primus (15), rescued the Falcons and put them back on track.

By the time Primus was caught at backward point off fast bowler Anrich Nortje to make it 140-8 in the 19th over, the momentum had already shifted.

With 11 runs needed from the final over bowled by Dominic Drakes, new batsman Fabian Allen clobbered the second ball over deep square leg for six and then pulled the ensuing delivery between fine leg and deep midwicket for four to tie the scores.

Allen then sealed the deal by chopping the next delivery to point for a single to give the Falcons their second successive victory in the competition.

Earlier, after losing the toss and being sent in to bat, the home side found themselves in early trouble.

Openers Evin Lewis (3), and captain Andre Fletcher (9), didn't last long and they were soon joined by Kyle Mayers after his 16-ball cameo of 22, including two fours and two sixes came to an end as the Patriots fell to 36-3 after six overs.

Those quick wickets stemmed the Patriots' flow of runs and Wanindu Hasaranga made a fighting 23 before he was dismissed by Fabian Allen with the score 60-4.

Rilee Rossouw (20) and top scorer Mikyle Louis then added 46 runs for the fifth wicket, but it took them eight overs to do so.

When Rossouw was bowled by Allen, the Patriots were limping on 106-5 in the 17th over.

In a spectacular display of power hitting, Louis, who scored 63 from 36 balls, inclusive of seven sixes and two fours, gave the home fans something to cheer about.

He hit Mohammed Amir for two fours in the 18th over and then hit Allen for three massive sixes in the 19th over that cost 19 runs.

Louis then finished off the innings by belting Wasim for two more sixes in the final over, before he was eventually caught and bowled by Wasim off the penultimate ball.

Amir took 3-27, while Wasim ended with 2-24 and Allen 2-44.

- CMC