there it is! Primus roars in delight and the crowd follows suit soon after! The Falcons' CPL 2024 campaign finally takes flight! Back of a length just outside off. Salamkheil, for some reason, looks for the lap and makes no contact whatsoever. Each and every Falcons fielder comes rushing over to Primus. They were up against it. They had all the odds stacked against them - three fielders outside the ring, just ten on the field and yet, they found a way. Perhaps they were meant to, after all the heartbreak earlier in the tournament, and after all the support they have received from their passionate fans throughout, despite the previous results!
Falcons vs Trinbago, 8th Match at North Sound, CPL, Sep 05 2024 - Match Result
11pm That will be all from us for tonight. Another humdinger, and a game where the Falcons finally got off the mark. We will be back at it again tomorrow and we hope to have your company then. Until next time, this is goodbye from Shashwat, Thilak, Vairavan and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Take care, folks!
Chris Green, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons captain: We have had a tough time here at home, we were not at our best in the last couple of games. The way we finished, bringing four in and then three in and then getting a man sent off, I think they got the timings wrong. (On losing the toss again) Luck has not been on my side, really happy for the fans and for my team. The thing that makes me so happy was that Primus, Springer and Amir, they have had some tough times but the character and the bravery they showed, when nothing was going their way, that was serious character. We still have to carry on playing this positive, aggressive brand of cricket. I think we showed ourselves what we can do. Nothing needs to change. We know the equation is simple and we need to apply our knowledge (for the rest of the games on the road).
Kieron Pollard, Trinbago Knight Riders captain: It was a good game of cricket. Just felt we let ourselves down a bit. We have to play the emerging players - that rule is there for a reason (smiles). But you saw the way he (Parris) batted, he had some elegance and character. It is about giving opportunities (to the emerging players) as well. It is early in the tournament. When we get to Trinidad, the games will come thick and fast. We have a couple of days off, so we will travel, take some rest and then get back to practice. There is a good bunch of experienced guys who understand the nature of travelling and cricket.
Fabian Allen, Player of the Match: We were searching for that win and grateful we got it tonight. (On him batting higher up) Whatever the team requires, I will bat there. (On the catch to dismiss Pooran) When you take catches of one of the best players, you have to celebrate and I am grateful (I could take it). I just wanted to bowl in the right areas and got the results. We were searching for 180 but 170-odd is good on this wicket, we defended well. (On the crowd) Grateful for the crowd, they supported us right through.
10:43pm Phew. What a game of cricket that was. It ebbed and flowed. It twisted and turned. And it was perhaps fitting that Primus, who huffed and puffed with the bat and contributed to a major middle-overs slowdown, stood tall with the ball, restricting the Knight Riders and getting the job done for the home side. Prior to that, Springer had done his bit, especially removing Carty in the previous over. Allen was also magnificent through the middle and it was arguably his spell that sowed the seeds of success for the Falcons.
The Knight Riders will be disappointed. The total seemed within reach but they just could not kick on when it mattered. They kept losing wickets at crucial moments and despite Carty and Pollard putting together a decent partnership to take them within touching distance, they could not get over the line. Their decision to hold Pooran back also seemed to misfire, given the required run-rate had shot up to more than ten runs per over when he came out to bat. It was a game of fine margins and unfortunately for the Knight Riders, they were not on the right side of those tonight.
7 needed off the last ball. Salamkheil to face. A six and we go into.....A Super Over
hard length outside off. Hosein moves across his stumps and splices it into the mid wicket region. Hosein always seems second-best to complete the second run but there could be a bit of drama with Billings fumbling his collection. Has he done enough to effect the run out? Billings does not take the bails off, but the ball ends up bobbling ono the top of the stumps. The rub of the green goes the Falcons' way, and they can feel and touch that elusive victory now!
zipped in full on leg stump. Little clears his front leg and shanks it towards long on. Just a single
Little joins Hosein. 9 off 3
middle stump out of the ground, and Primus rises for the Falcons! Dug into the track outside off. Hinds backs away and has a waft at it. Loses all shape and only manages to chop it off the inside edge into his middle stump. The stumps light up, Primus is jubilant and the Falcons are almost there!
into the blockhole outside off. Hosein swings at it and jams it off the inside edge into his pads. The ball rolls away just a shade, allowing Hinds to come through for the single. Would have been out, though, had Primus kicked the ball onto the stumps with his right boot
10 off 5. This is a tough, tough gig for Primus
boundary off the first ball! Shortish outside off. Hosein picks the length early, walks across his stumps and mauls it over mid wicket!
14 off 6. Primus to bowl. Hosein on strike. And to add to the drama, the red card has come out. Amir is leaving the field, and the Falcons will have only ten players on the field for the final over
low full toss, angling into off stump. Hosein gives himself room and carves it over extra cover. Andrew tears after it, puts in the dive and saves a run
17 off 7. The Knight Riders need a boundary, right about now...
brilliant yorker outside off. Hinds cannot get under it and digs it out towards extra cover
low full toss on off stump. Hosein has a swish at it and squirts it off the outside edge towards backward point
banged into the track on middle and leg. Hosein ducks under it and the square leg umpire reckons it is too high to be deemed a legal delivery
Back to around the wicket for Hosein
very full outside off. Hinds opens his bat face and drills it towards the sweeper on the off side. Just a single
Long off, long on and deep cover on the fence
dug into the track just outside off. The ball pin-balls off Hosein's body and trickles towards the bowler. Hosein, meanwhile, scampers across for the single
Hosein is the new batter in. TKR need 22 off 11. Just three fielders outside the ring, remember
edged and taken! Springer does the trick, and Carty bites the dust! Length delivery hung up way outside off. Carty goes after it but ends up nicking it. A healthy edge through to Billings and Carty is beside himself. That was there to be punished, but he is now walking back to the shed!
Another over-rate penalty for the Falcons. They can now have just three fielders outside the ring. 22 needed off 12. Wind blowing towards the right-hander's leg side
full and wide outside off. Hinds throws the kitchen sink at it and slices it over the off-side ring. Bags a brace for his troubles
Hinds joins Carty. 24 needed off 13
goes straight up, and Allen pouches it! Primus has his man! Hard length just outside off. Zips off the surface and hurries Russell on his pull. He skews it terribly and Allen, haring in from long on, pouches it. Green immediately signals his fielders to be in their positions to not incur further penalties. It is all happening here in Antigua!
banged into the track on leg stump and this seems to loop over the batter's head. Called a wide and Primus is utterly miffed
The Falcons, by the way, have already been penalized for a slow over-rate. Just four fielders outside the circle since the start of this over
slower delivery dug into the track outside off. Carty pulls it down to long on
shortish just outside off. Russell stays leg side and cuts it towards backward point. He will be disappointed at having not found the gap behind point
Russell goes big, and he goes very big! Slot ball on off stump and that is right up Russell's alley. Free swing through the line and he mousses it over long on!
length on middle and leg. Russell has a huge swipe across the line and clinks it off the toe-end towards the bowler
33 off 18. Primus to bowl. The Falcons will have to be careful about the over-rate too
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua | |
Toss | Trinbago Knight Riders, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2024 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 5 September 2024 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Antigua and Barbuda Falcons 2, Trinbago Knight Riders 0 |
Over 20 • TKR 170/9