Patriots vs Royals, 9th Match at Basseterre, CPL, Sep 06 2024 - Ball by Ball Commentary

11:13pm That will be all from us for tonight. We will be back with more CPL action tomorrow and we hope to have your company then as well. Until next time, this is goodbye from Shashwat, Thilak and Vairavan. Take care, folks!

Rovman Powell, Barbados Royals captain: (On the pitch and their bowling plans) When we came here today, we came to the conclusion that it was not a 260-wicket. We won the toss and credit needs to be given to the guys the way they put pressure in the powerplay. It is a case of bowlers winning tournaments and batters winning games. We have a good overseas spin department and that is very important (in the Caribbean). We have fast bowlers there to back up (as well). A key moment in the game was when we decided to send in a left-hander to push it around (for singles and doubles). They did not have an off-spinner. We then looked at their death bowlers, knowing me, Jason and Nyeem (were to come), we always knew we could put them under pressure.

Andre Fletcher, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots captain: I am happy in the sense that our bowlers, they tried their utmost. A low-scoring (game), bringing it down to the last over, could not ask for anything more. We were 10-15 runs short. The way Hasaranga played and brought us back into the game, and a few cameos from the others…I just told them to continue that momentum (at the break). (On the three dismissals in quick succession in the middle overs) They were soft dismissals. Even the way Sherfane got out, it could have been a case where he could have taken a single off that ball. We knew they did not have any great death bowlers (and could have capitalized later). Jason has been struggling. That is one of the few things we have to look into. We want to be positive but we have to be smart as well. We are still young in the tournament and we can win our next five, and I am trusting our players (to win the next five). We have to believe in ourselves and know we can do it. We are disappointing them (the fans) but we are not going out there to lose. There has to be a winner and a loser and unfortunately, we are not winning (at the moment).

Dunith Wellalage, Player of the Match: (On his batting) I just tried to play my normal game and back myself. He (Powell) told me to back my normal game and I knew he can hit, and he told me to support him. They (Hasaranga and Theekshana) are great bowlers, very happy to be playing with them.

Annan Boodram: "Why wasn't Mayers allowed to bowl his fourth over?" -- Mayers has not bowled much at the death. John has not been very frugal at the death either but has at least had some experience bowling this overs this season, which may have prompted Fletcher to pick John to bowl the last over.

10:55pm Another thoroughly entertaining game of cricket. It was not quite the high-scoring kind Warner Park has gotten accustomed to this season, but it went right down to the wire. Young, though, held his nerve just when it mattered, even as experienced batters failed before and around him. There were also notable contributions from Wellalage and Alleyne, with de Kock, Holder and Powell chipping in with cameos, although each of them would have wanted to bat much deeper than they did.

More heart-break for the Patriots, who remain winless at home since the final of the 2021 edition. Mayers was superb for them with the ball at the start, while Permaul was tidy through the middle. Hasaranga was a touch expensive, as was Nortje but the defining spell for them was their fifth bowler (Mohsin and John combined) conceding 57 in 3.5 overs. That said, this was a show of courage, considering they were 0-3 earlier in the evening and had only 153 to defend, but having lost so many games already, they will need to find that winning formula very soon.

3 off 2. Pressure mounting. Naveen is at the other end. Young remains on strike

3 off 3. Run-a-ball for the Royals

Theekshana on strike now. John stays around the wicket

Right. It has come down to this. Eight needed off the final six balls. Holder is on strike, which is what the Royals would have wanted. John to bowl the last over. His first over went for ten. Around the wicket to Holder

10 off 8 now

Harsh S.: "This is the definition of a 50-50 game."

17 off 12. As long as Holder is out there, the Royals will believe this is their game to lose. A wicket, though, and especially that of Holder, will put the Patriots in the driving seat. Nortje to bowl. The Patriots, for what it is worth, are well ahead of the over-rate

Young in at 3. 28 needed off 18. Mohsin to bowl