CPL 2024, Match 14 Review:  After defeating the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, the Saint Lucia Kings resume their winning ways

With 21 balls remaining, Saint Lucia Kings secured a commanding five-wicket victory that let them resume their 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign and condemn the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to their sixth consecutive loss.

The Patriots had a winning start, but since then, they have struggled. As a result of their loss this evening at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, they are now dependent on other outcomes to go their way in order to advance.

After winning the toss, Faf du Plessis, the captain of the Kings, put the opposition in hopes that the ball would skid and become more difficult to hit in the second half of the game. Thirty sixes were struck in the last game at the venue along Gros Islet’s short square boundaries, but the Patriots were unable to clear the ropes in their innings until Rilee Rossouw hit five consecutive sixes, which gave their batting card some real impetus. Captain Andre Fletcher led the Patriots to victory with 173/5, scoring 62 runs off of 50 balls.

Saint Lucia Kings secured a commanding five-wicket victory that let them resume their 2024 Caribbean Premier League

It was insufficient. In the Kings PowerPlay, Du Plessis was merciless, hitting five fours and as many sixes to set the chase up for an easy start from which his team never looked back. During the match, Johnson Charles, a fellow opener, scored 74 off 42 balls with great fluency, only conceding to Hasaranga when the target was in single digits.

“It was an excellent innings. It would have been my pleasure to cap off for the team. Opening for Faf has worked well. Player of the Match Charles said after the game, “We feed off each other’s energy,” complimenting the loud support of the Kings fans.

“It feels great to have the crowd behind us, even after we lost two.” Many thanks to all of our backers.

Also Read: CPL2024: Sherfane Rutherford of the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots withdraws, citing private matters

For the Patriots, it was a challenging evening. After the game, captain Andre Fletcher lamented his own strike rate. “I felt like we slowed down a little bit in the midst of the powerplay, but we started off strong. I especially could have had a higher strike rate. Still, Rilee delivered a solid knock. There are three games remaining. We have no option but to go play cricket outside. We must figure out how to prevail. We need to give it our all because we have lost the last six games.