St Lucia implode to suffer big loss

St Lucia Zouks imploded in a chase of 176 to suffer an 83-run defeat against Barbados Tridents in St Lucia on Thursday.

Chasing their second win in four games, St Lucia had a shaky start, losing opener Tamim Iqbal for 1 in the second over. Devon Smith and Andre Fletcher shared a 26-run partnership but their dismissals in the seventh over, to Barbados bowler Shannon Gabriel, left St Lucia struggling at 30 for 3. Herschelle Gibbs and Misbah-ul-Haq added 43 runs off 33 balls and looked set to pitch a rescue act for St Lucia before Rayad Emrit made a breakthrough in the 13th over. Looking to a turn a ball from Emrit to the on side, Gibbs walked across his stumps, only to miss the ball completely. That dismissal triggered a collapse, as St Lucia lost a wicket in every over thereafter to fold for 92. Pollard picked up two wickets, while Emrit finished with 3 for 19, accounting for Gibbs, Darren Sammy and Tino Best. Ashley Nurse, who had earlier dismissed Tamim, took the wickets of Shane Shillingford and Garey Mathurin in what was the last over to complete a comprehensive win.

The Barbados innings of 175 was built around two partnerships, after Kieron Pollard chose to bat. Dwayne Smith and Shoaib Malik added 63 runs for the second wicket after Barbados lost opener Jonathan Carter for 4. Their partnership, which lasted a little over eight overs, took Barbados to a comfortable 83 for 1 in the 12th over, before Albie Morkel bowled Smith for 48. Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik were dismissed in successive overs, with Best, who was suffering a slight niggle, coming on late in the innings to account for Malik. Kris Mayers and Pollard, however, blitzed a 57-run partnership in 22 balls to take the total past 150. Pollard dominated the stand, smashing 34 off 21, including one four and three sixes. Nurse hit a six off the last ball to take Barbados to 175 for 6.

Having lost their second successive match in a row, St Lucia are now languishing at fifth place on the points table and may have to play without Best in their next game against Jamaica. After the match, Sammy said pacer Nelon Pascal would replace Best if the latter wasn't fit for the next match. Barbados lead the table with four wins in four games.