CPL T20: World record stand powers Trinbago Knight Riders

A world record fifth wicket stand between Hashim Amla and Dwayne Bravo rescued the Trinbago Knight Riders in their Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match against Barbados Tridents on Saturday.

Having lost four wickets inside the first five overs the Knight Riders looked like they were going to collapse to an uncompetitive score.

The hugely experienced pairing of Amla and Bravo then put together a match winning stand of 150 in 92 balls.

Amla was just superb as he made 81 from 54, bringing up his half century from 42 balls.

This was the best fifth wicket stand in the history of T20 cricket, the best ever partnership for Trinbago Knight Riders and the third highest stand ever in Hero CPL.

Bravo was almost as impressive on his way to an undefeated 66 in a partnership with Amla that was nothing short of remarkable.

They took their side from what looked like certain defeat to victory in 15.2 overs of outrageous hitting.

Left arm spinner Akeal Hosein finished with figures of 2-18 from his four overs, a career best.

At 20-4 a recovery job was badly needed and Amla and Bravo gave their team that and then some.

The USA’s Steven Taylor opened the batting for the Tridents as they set off to chase 171 for victory and he had an eventful first over.

Nikita Miller was the bowler and Taylor smacked the second ball straight up in the air where three fielders converged and none took the catch, with two of them ending up on the floor.

Three balls later Florida-born Taylor crunched a drive down the ground that Munro could only parry the ball over the rope for six.

Taylor and Kyle Hope put on an opening stand of 41, Hope departing for 11 off the penultimate ball of the PowerPlay.

It was a steady beginning to the innings as they looked to set a platform for the big hitters to come.

Taylor went on to make his highest ever Hero CPL score of 37, but his inability to rotate the strike between boundaries was slowing up the Tridents progress.

Shoaib Malik also found it difficult to score freely when he first came to the crease although he did pass 6,000 T20 runs on his way to 28 (24), the 10th player to do so. It looked like he had edged behind off Narine when he was on 10 but the umpire turned down the impassioned appeal. Two balls later Narine did pick up a wicket, Taylor holing out in the deep.

By the time AB de Villiers arrived at the crease for the Tridents the required rate was at in excess of 11 an over and even someone with the incredible talent was going to struggle.

The chase eventually petered out as the rate climbed and wickets fell.

In the end the Tridents fell 11 runs short of victory with the wicket of AB de Villiers, caught in the deep off the bowling of Dwayne Bravo, ending any hopes for the Tridents.

Trinbago Knight Riders (170-5, Hashim Amla 81) beat Barbados Tridents (159-8, Steven Taylor 37) by 11 runs

TKR innings

Amla has thumped Nurse over long off for the first six of the match. TKR 90-4. 14 overs.

Double blow by Rampaul as Akmal and Bravo depart in quick success. TKR 20-4, 4.4 overs.

Umar Akmal c Pooran b Rampaul 0 (2b)

Darren Bravo c Pooran b Rampaul 4 (5b 1x4)

Munro tries to swing Hosein only to find his stumps disturbed. TKR 15-2, 3.2 overs.

Colin Munro b Hosein 6 (7b 1x4)

Huge strike as McCullum swipes and misses. TKR 7-1, 1.4 overs.

Brendon McCullum b Hosein 1 (6b)

Barbados Tridents have won the toss and opted to field in Match 3 of CPL against Trinbago Knight Riders.

South Africa's star batsman AB de Villiers is looking forward to begin a new chapter in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) when Barbados Tridents take on Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) at Queen’s Park Oval.

Speaking to broadcaster Mark Butcher on the eve of his CPL debut against TKR, the 32-year-old prolific run-scorer across all three formats of the game said the he is determined to come out firing.

“I have watched CPL over the last few years and it looks like a lot of fun. I love touring here. I have fond memories of my first away tour with South Africa in 2005 and every tour since then I've really enjoyed so much.

“When a window of opportunity came for us to join in, it was a very easy answer for me to come and join over here. If you hit that reset button all the time, and keep challenging yourself (to) try to get better at what you do. I still love what I do...I still have a lot of pride in my performances and like performing every time I play.

“I'm nervous again! It's the start of a new season at the CPL, a new chapter and the butterflies are going again of wanting to perform, wanting to impress. So I don't think that will ever go away. I don't see myself as a big player or an ambassador, but I do have responsibilities to make the game bigger, or bigger than it already is because it's so huge, and to make sure that people around the world keep getting that message that it's such a fantastic sport to be a part of."

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