Rutherford-Bravo stand helped Patriots win
Sherfane Rutherford and Bravo saved St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 39 for 4 in the eighth over to finally lay a solid foundation for an easy 21run win over Barbados Royals. The pair qualified the Patriots to post 175 for five, a performance that the bowlers combined to deliver an all-around show that thwarted the Royals in the chase.
Left-arm fast bowler Dominic Drakes
23-year-old left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes son of former West Indies pacer Wasbert Drakes, was particularly effective, finishing with figures of 2 for 13 in four overs. The Royals did everything right for the first half-hour of the game.
Jason Holder opted to bowl and his bowlers made an immediate impact. Oshane Thomas and Mohammad Amir had the batting side on the ropes as they lost four early wickets.
Dwayne, who had a decent T20I dismissal against Australia at home in July this year but did not bat in the five matches against Pakistan, had a big task on his hands.
Congratulations to Senior Prof
Thomas greeted the senior pro with a ball cracker going off a length and pasting the outside edge of Dwayne Bravo. Bravo survived and dismissed Thomas in the 10th over. An unusual spell ended at 3 for 22. Rutherford also opened his hands in the 11th over for a big inning against Hayden Walsh Jr.
There were two more from Sherfane Rutherford in Walsh’s next over as the batting pair decided to hit sixes. Between them, he smacked all four-eight out of four. As Bravo faced some disrespectful treatment from Royals captain Holder.
He almost doubled the score in five overs from half-leg (from 54/4 in 10 overs to 107/4 in 15). The final five overs read 14, 15, 7, 16, and 16 as Sherfane Rutherford scored his half-century, Dwayne Bravo remained unbeaten on 47 and the Patriots scored 175 for 5.
Charles reported that Sheldon Cottrell was being chased for three consecutive fours in the first over, but the lack of leadership between Johnson Charles and his opening partner Glenn Phillips packed them in the second over. Phillips fell soon after, on a sharp catch from Thomas and was hit twice more by the Patriots in the 11th over.
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Dominic Drax’s unbelievable look
Hope pulls a straight delivery off Fabian at deep mid-wicket, falls for 44 for 38. Bravo, a seasoned death bowler, and Drakes an impressive rookie combined to take the run chase further. Drakes bowled an incredibly good over with four dots and just two singles in it. Though the Royals scored 19 runs in the last over, they fell far short of the objective.
Brief Team Scores: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 175/5 in 20 overs (Sherfen Rutherford 53, Dwayne 47, Oshane Thomas 3-22) beat Barbados Royals 154/7 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 44, Azam) mine 28); Dominic Drakes 2-13, Sheldon Cottrell 2-39) by 21 runs.