Saim Ayub’s maiden T20 century proved to be instrumental in the Jamaica Kingsmen’s 11-run win over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, which helped to continue their resurgence in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League here on Thursday.
Player-of-the-Match Ayub smashed eight sixes and six fours in his match-winning knock of 102 off 58 balls, the backbone of the visitors’ total of 182 for seven in 20 overs after they were sent in at Warner Park.
The Patriots, who were behind the eight ball in their run chase for the majority of the match, made a late surge at the end but fell just short on 171 for six. It was their fourth loss in five games and left them firmly rooted at the bottom of the points table.
Meanwhile, after beginning the tournament on a three-game losing streak, the Kingsmen have won three of their last four matches and sit in fourth position on six points from their seven matches.
It didn’t look as though the Kingsmen would get up to their eventual target after pacer Naseem Shah removed openers Keacy Carty and Maaz Sadaqat cheaply to leave them in early trouble at 12 for two.
Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga then held on to a good return catch to dismiss Kirk McKenzie for 10, with the bowler then pulling off a spectacular catch diving to his left at cover off the bowling of Obed McCoy to account for the wicket of Usman Khan and make the score 63 for four after nine overs.
However, Ayub teamed up with skipper Rovman Powell to add 72 runs for the fifth wicket and transform the Kingsmen’s innings.
Ayub was 37 by the time Powell came to the crease and he subsequently brought up his half century off 36 balls by thumping Waqar Salamkheil for six over midwicket in the 14th over, which also included two other maximums.
But just as they were looking to accelerate Hasaranga returned to have Powell caught at deep midwicket for 21.
Ayub continued to push on, moving into the 90s with an exquisite cover drive off Shah, before reaching his first-ever CPL century off 57 balls by hitting McCoy out of the ground for another six.
McCoy dismissed him with the very next delivery by having him caught at deep midwicket, but Keemo Paul smashed an unbeaten 25 off 13 balls to ensure the Kingsmen finished with a bang.
Hasaranga finished with 2-18, Shah took 2-35 and McCoy claimed 2-43.
The Patriots’ new-look opening pair of Johnson Charles and Kyle Mayers added just 10 runs before Jediah Blades dismissed the latter for eight with 10 runs on the board.
Charles struggled in his 14 off 17 balls before Paul sent him packing and when Blades had Kevin Wickham caught for one, the home side had slipped to 42 for three in the sixth over.
The match seemed all but over when Shah bowled Mikyle Louis for nine to make it 64 for four in the 11th over.
Andre Fletcher kept the Patriots in the game with a well-played knock of 55 from 38 balls that contained four fours and three sixes and after he was dismissed by Ayub, skipper Jason Holder and Dasun Shanaka combined to give the Patriots an outside chance of victory.
But Shah bowled Holder for 34 with 33 runs still required from eight balls and even though Shanaka tried his best by clobbering Odean Smith for three sixes in the final over, it proved not to be enough to get his side over the line. (CMC)
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