St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Antigua & Barbuda Falcons put up a tense last-over thriller in match number 11 of the CPL 2024 season on September 8. At the end of nearly 40 overs of action at the Warner Park, it was the Falcons group that emerged victorious with a two-wicket margin.
It was a fifth straight home loss for the STKNP franchise, who remain rooted to the foot of the six-team CPL table with two points. And it came on a day when they lost West Indies middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford for the rest of the tourney owing to “personal reasons”.
Re-introduced into the STKNP XI after his horror return of 0/77 against the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) on August 31, Drakes, son of former West Indies pacer and STKNP coach Vasbert Drakes, had a chance at redemption.
With 13 West Indies caps to his name, the younger Drakes was called up for the last over by skipper Andre “Spiceman” Fletcher, with the Falcons needing 11 for victory as they chased a 154-run target.
With his former STKNP teammate Fabian Allen (13 not out off seven balls) surprisingly batting at number ten, Drakes was up against “one of the best finishers in the world”—according to Falcons skipper, Chris Green.
The deciding over started well enough for the left-arm pacer, the flashing Allen beaten with a slower ball outside the off-stump.
However, much like STKNP’s 2024 Republic Bank CPL campaign has been going up till now, Drakes’ over went pear-shaped in Julien Alfred speed as Allen rocked back and swatted a six and a four off consecutive balls to leave his former teammates crestfallen.
Evin Lewis’ desperate attempt to stop Allen’s pull to the square-leg boundary summed up STKNP’s mood. And when the latter pushed the fourth ball of the over for a single, he earned the Falcons their second straight win after their debut campaign began with four consecutive losses.
Falcons’ first loss came in agonizing fashion in a last-ball thriller on the CPL’s opening night on August 29 against this STKNP opposition. The Falcons also lost another last-ball nail-biter against the reigning champs, Guyana Amazon Warriors, the following night.
After jumping to third on the table with today’s win, Green’s Falcons are keen on soaring to greater heights.
Spiceman and STKNP appear to be heading in a different direction, though. Even a brilliant spell of spin bowling from Sri Lankan wrist-spinning wizard Wanindu Hasaranga (4/16) couldn’t prevent their latest blemish.
Three years after the charismatic DJ “Champion” Bravo led the franchise to CPL glory, the Spiceman now finds himself apologizing to the STKNP faithful.
“In spite of what, the fans come out and supported us throughout,” Fletcher said, at the post-match presentation. “We disappointed them […] I must say sorry for not giving them a win on home soil.”
“What can I do more? I’m still looking for answers but I must say the guys fought hard.”
There weren’t any no-look sixes or flashy follow-through shots from Fletcher today. But he did say “all isn’t lost” as his team still have four games to get things right.
Sent in by Green on a gripping surface which would have had Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Shane Warne licking their lips, STKNP got themselves to 153 for eight for a second straight match, albeit in a manner entirely different from their previous outing.
Against the Barbados Royals on Friday, STKNP were in dire straits as Fletcher, Lewis and Kyle Mayers were all dismissed before the team had put any runs on the board. Handy contributions by Hasaranga and Kittitian opener Mikyle Louis then helped them post a modest total.
Today, batting at number six, Louis used his long levers to good effect as he slammed five sixes in the last two overs of his team’s innings before being dismissed for 63 off 36 balls—his second half-century in his debut CPL season.
After a 2024 regional four-day season which saw him rattling off 549 runs in six matches, Louis was rewarded with a call-up to the West Indies Test team for recent series against England and South Africa. And on the evidence of this year’s CPL thus far, it may not be long before he’s on the radar of white ball coach Daren Sammy.
At the innings break, the towering Louis said: “I’m super confident in the bowlers’ ability to defend this score.
“I think we understand the ground now and it’s just for us to go out there and execute.”
Louis and STKNP may have got their wishes if they had had another Hasaranga on the team. The wily leg-spinner threatened to turn the game on its head, pegging the Falcons back in the middle overs.
After Brandon King (29 off 16 balls) and Justin Greaves (30 off 16 balls) got the Falcons off to a rapid start in the powerplay with a 55-run stand, Hasaranga came to the party.
He dismissed Greaves, young Jewel Andrew (3), Shamar Springer (0) and Sam Billings (18) as the Falcons slipped to 110 for seven in the 16th over.
Perhaps inspired by his role in bowling the Falcons to a six-run victory against TKR on Thursday, Roshon Primus (15 off 11 balls) showed both guts and flair, sweeping Hasaranga for a six and a four in the first over he faced.
Primus was dismissed in the penultimate over by Proteas speedster Anrich Nortje (3/35) but Man-of-the-Match Imad Wasim (17* off 13 balls) and “Finisher” Allen guided the Falcons safely over the line.
Table-proppers STKNP will hope to improve their lowly standing when they face the wounded Kings on the road at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia on Wednesday.
Summarized scores
Toss: Antigua and Barbuda Falcons
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots: 153 for 8 (20 overs) Mikyle Louis 63, Kyle Mayers 22, Wanindu Hasaranga 22, Rilee Rossouw 20; Mohammad Amir 3/27, Imad Wasim 2/24, Fabian Allen 2/44
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons: 154 for 8 (19.4 overs) Justin Greaves 30, Brandon King 29, Kofi James 20; Wanindu Hasaranga 4/16, Anrich Nortje 3/35
Man-of-the-Match: Imad Wasim
Result: Antigua and Barbuda Falcons win by 2 wickets