TKR stay unbeaten with fourth straight win

—but Bravo 500th wicket takes spotlight off TKR’s winning streak

Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Brave reacts after claiming his 500th wicket Twenty20s yesterday.
Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Brave reacts after claiming his 500th wicket Twenty20s yesterday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Unbeaten Trinbago Knight Riders churned out their fourth straight win here yesterday when they trounced St Lucia Zouks by six-wickets under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern but the result was overshadowed by Dwayne Bravo’s historic 500th wicket in Twenty20s.

The 36-year-old removed Rahkeem Cornwall for 18 in the fourth over of the innings with the fourth delivery of his first over to become the first bowler to pass the magical mark in his 459th match.

There was double celebration for Bravo as he also became the first bowler to reach 100 wickets in CPL, having played all his matches in the regional franchise tournament for his native Trinbago Knight Riders.

“He has gone where no man has gone before in T20 cricket,” TKR captain and close friend Kieron Pollard said afterwards.

Tim Seifert of the Trinbago Knight Riders celebrates hitting the winning runs off Chemar Holder of the St Lucia Zouks yesterday. (Photo Randy Brooks CPLT20 via Getty Images)

“When T20 cricket started, we all thought it was going to be a joke but when you look around the world now and you see each and every cricketer wanting to play T20 and wanting to play the leagues, to be top of the tree in wicket-taking [with] 500 I think is a tremendous achievement, and we’re very very happy that we have him on our team. 

“We as West Indians are very very proud of him for what he has done as an individual around the world and he’s at a stage in his life where he’s continuing to mentor the younger ones in the dressing room and whichever dressing room that he steps in.”

Zouks captain, Darren Sammy, labelled Bravo a “pioneer”, pointing out his achievements had paved the way for many others.

“What he has done in this format of the game is incomparable,” said Sammy.

“He’s really been a pioneer for us in T20 cricket and although [he reached 500 wickets] against us, I’m happy for him and his achievement.”

Bravo ended with two for seven from three tight overs as Zouks stumbled to 111 for six when rain brought an abrupt end to their innings after the first ball of the 18th over.

Summoned to the attack with Zouks scoring freely, he got Cornwall to slap a length ball to cover where New Zealander Colin Munro took a low catch at 32 for two.

Bravo then yorked the in-form Roston Chase for seven in his next over before two partnerships propped up the Zouks innings.

Najibullah Zadran hit a run-a-ball 21 with a four and a six as he added 31 for the fourth wicket with Mark Deyal (16). When Najibullah perished in the 11th over, Deyal then put on a further 33 with Mohammad Nabi who top-scored with an unbeaten 30 from 22 balls, hitting two fours and a six.

Following a two-hour rain break, TKR were handed a revised target of 72 off nine overs and they reached their target with a full over remaining.

At one stage, however, they found themselves four down for 34 runs in the fourth over thanks to quick strikes by seamer Kesrick Williams (2-17) but left-hander Darren Bravo slammed a couple of straight sixes in an unbeaten 23 off 13 balls to seal victory.