Franklin guides Tridents to victory

James Franklin guided Barbados Tridents to a solitary win over Northern Knights in the inconsequential final group match of the Champions League T20. With 12 needed off the final over, Franklin hit fellow New Zealander Tim Southee's full tosses for a six and a four to haul Tridents home with two balls and six wickets to spare.

Zimbabwe limited-overs captain Elton Chigumbura played his part, lofting and pulling Trent Boult for a couple of fours in the penultimate over with 23 needed off 12. Jonathan Carter, the leading run-getter of the main round of the tournament, chipped in with a steady 30 before he fell to another relay catch from Knights, Anton Devcich and Daryl Mitchell the combination this time after Southee and Mitchell did it against Lahore Lions in the qualifiers.

The catch gave Ish Sodhi his third wicket, and it was the legspinner who had dented the chase after Tridents had motored to 49 for 1 in seven overs. Sodhi had Raymon Reifer and Jason Holder holing out in the space of three deliveries in his second over.

Dilshan Munaweera had given the chase a kickstart with a quick 20, but fell to a spectacular diving catch by Mitchell. Carter and Franklin steadied the innings with a 56-run fourth-wicket partnership in just under eight overs before Franklin and Chigumbura shared an unbeaten stand of 33 off 20.

Knights had labored to 135 for 8 in 19 overs after the match was marginally shortened following a nearly hour-long rain interruption during their innings. Before the break, Devcich and Daniel Flynn had put on 60 in 8.2 overs but the Knights captain fell to Munaweera just before the players went off, and Knights tapered off after the resumption.

Devcich was around till the 13th over but could never really get going in a run-a-ball 47. Several of his strokes were powered straight to fielders. He played and missed regularly, and even when they hadn't lost too many wickets, Knights weren't able to build much momentum.

In the same over in which Devcich was run out, Scott Styris swung his second ball to deep midwicket. BJ Watling looked good during his swift 29 but Devcich's crawl had cost Knights too many overs, and despite taking 46 off the last four overs, they fell short of posting a daunting target.