BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Man-of-the-Match Rahkeem Cornwall churned out an astonishing hundred as Barbados Royals completed the third highest run chase in Caribbean Premier League history with a remarkable eight wicket victory over luckless St Kitts and Nevis Patriots here late Sunday.
Asked to overhaul 221 at Kensington Oval, the hosts stormed to their target with 11 balls to spare, with the burly Cornwall smashing 102 off 48 deliveries to notch his maiden Twenty20 hundred.
The 30-year-old clobbered four fours and a dozen sixes, racing to his half-century off just 23 balls with three fours and half-dozen sixes, before reaching triple figures off another 22 balls.
When he retired in the 16th over, Royals were already in sight of victory at 190 for two, and captain Rovman Powell finished off the chase with 26-ball unbeaten 49, completing a topsy-turvy home leg where the hosts won two and lost two of their four matches.
“I expected the innings [from Cornwall] but the longevity of it is what I didn’t expect,” said Powell.
“For him to go so long, it’s remarkable. It was a fantastic knock, one of the best I have ever seen.”
Patriots appeared out of sight after they posted an impressive 220 for four from their 20 overs, as they continued their bid for their opening win of the campaign.
They were propelled by a 27-ball 65 from captain Sherfane Rutherford and a hasty 63 off 36 deliveries from opener Will Smeed, while Andre Fletcher lashed 56 off 37 balls and Jyd Goolie, a 16-ball 22.
Sent in, their enjoyed an exhilarating start, Smeed counting five fours and four sixes and Fletcher pummeling seven fours and a six in putting together a 115-run, first wicket stand.
When off-spinner Cornwall (2-27) removed both in the space of 13 deliveries, the left-handed Rutherford controlled the remainder of the innings beautifully, posting 31 for the third wicket with Goolie and a further 35 for the fourth with Corbin Bosch (5).
Rutherford struck five fours and five sixes and reached his fifty off 24 deliveries in the final over from seamer Carlos Brathwaite which leaked 20 runs.
In reply, Cornwall took charge of the chase from the outset, putting on 41 for the first wicket with Kyle Mayers (22) before staging a superb 86-run, second wicket stand with Laurie Evans (24).
Their enterprise left Royals on 120 for one at the half-way stage superbly poised to easily complete the run chase, and Cornwall ensured there were no hiccups as he continued to plunder the Patriots bowlers in adding another 68 for the third wicket with Powell before retiring.
Cornwall raised his hundred in style in the 15th over, blasting the first delivery from seamer Benny Howell for a straight six to move to 99 before punching the next ball – a full toss – to long on for a single.
The win was Royals’ third in six games, leaving them fourth on seven points while Patriots continued at the bottom on two points without a single victory in eight attempts.
The tournament resumes today in Port-of-Spain.
