KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Lowly St Kitts and Nevis Patriots slumped to their fourth straight defeat and their sixth in seven outings, as Jamaica Tallawahs crushed them by 108 runs here Saturday night.
Chasing 184 for victory at Sabina Park, Patriots were 53 for two at one stage but lost their last eight wickets for just 22 runs to collapse quickly.
The innings was wrecked by Vincentian fast bowler Kesrick Williams who took three for 19 from his four overs while Bangladeshi left-arm spinner Shakib al Hasan (2-2), South African pacer Dale Steyn (2-5) and seamer Andre Russell (2-11) all chipped in with two wickets each.
Barbados left-hander Jonathan Carter top-scored with 23 from 20 deliveries batting at number four but he was just one of four batsmen in double figures and the only one to pass 20.
Earlier, Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara carved out a superb 65 off 47 balls to help fire Tallawahs to 183 for six off their 20 overs, after they were sent in.
Rookie Jamaican Rovman Powell struck 35 from 23 balls while Shakib produced a cameo 17-ball unbeaten 34 late on.
Left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie, the best bowler with three for 24, gave Patriots a great start when he knocked over superstar and captain Chris Gayle cheaply for one, as Tallawahs slipped to 20 for two in the fourth over.
Chadwick Walton was first to fall for eight in the second over, left stranded in mid-pitch in a mix-up over a second run with Gayle and Santokie then removed the left-hander, top-edging a pull to fine leg for wicketkeeper Devon Thomas to run back and snaffle.
The left-handed Sangakkara arrived to mastermind two partnerships and repair the innings, posting 74 for the third wicket with Powell and a further 45 for the fourth with Andre Russell (16).
All told, Sangakkara punched seven fours and two sixes while Powell, a right-hander, counted four fours and six before miscuing a lofted stroke to Carter at mid-off off left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamzi at 94 for three in the 11th over.
Sangakkara perished in the 16th over, brilliantly taken in the deep by a diving Shamarh Brooks off Santokie but Shakib entered to slam five fours and a six, and keep the momentum going.
Patriots had the worst possible start to their run chase when they lost Lendl Simmons without scoring to the third ball of the innings and they were in deeper trouble when captain Faf du Plessis, who hit a four and a six in 12 off 13 balls, skied a catch to Walton at point off Russell.
Struggling at 12 for two in the third over, Carter and opener Evin Lewis (17) came to their side’s rescue in a 41-run, third wicket stand.
Carter struck a four and two sixes while Lewis faced 16 balls and counted a single four and a six.
The partnership was growing when Williams struck twice in the ninth over with the score on 53 – claiming Carter holing out to long off and off the next ball, having Australian Brad Hodge caught at slip by Walton.
When Thomas banged the first ball of the next over from left-armer Garey Mathurin straight to Andre McCarthy at point, Patriots were in turmoil at 53 for six and never recovered.
They lie one from bottom of the six-team standings on two points with three games left while Tallawahs moved into second on nine points, just one behind leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Scoreboard
TALLAWAHS
C Walton run out 8
*C Gayle c wkp Thomas b Cottrell 1
+K Sangakkara c Brooks b Santokie 65
R Powell c Carter b Shamsi 35
A Russell c wkp Thomas b Santokie 16
Shakib Al Hasan not out 34
A McCarthy c Carter b Santokie 9
Imad Wasim not out 0
Extras (lb1, w11, nb3) 15
TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 183
Did not bat: D Steyn, G Mathurin, K Williams
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-20, 3-94, 4-139, 5-139, 6-178.
Bowling: Santokie 4-0-24-3 (w1), Cottrell 4-0-28-1 (w1), Joseph 4-0-63-0 (w2, nb2), Carter 4-0-37-0 (w2), Shamsi 4-0-30-1 (w1, nb1)
PATRIOTS
L Simmons c & b Russell 0
E Lewis c McCarthy b Williams 17
*F du Plessis c Walton b Russell 12
J Carter c Powell b Williams 23
+D Thomas c McCarthy b Mathurin 0
B Hodge c Walton b Williams 0
S Brooks st Sangakkara b Shakib Al Hasan 1
K Santokie c Sangakkara b Steyn 16
S Cottrell not out 1
T Shamsi b Shakib Al Hasan 1
A Joseph b Steyn 1
Extras (lb1, w1, nb1) 3
TOTAL (all out, 15.5 overs) 75
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-12, 3-53, 4-53, 5-53, 6-53, 7-65, 8-72, 9-74, 10-75.
Bowling: Russell 2-0-11-2, Steyn 3.5-0-5-2 (w1), Williams 4-1-19-3 (nb1), Powell 2-0-23-0, Mathurin 1-0-7-0, Shakib 2-0-2-2, Imad Wasim 1-0-7-0.
Result: Tallawahs won by 108 runs.
