Mayers leads from the front to guide Barbados Royals to victory Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Barbados Royals claimed victory in their opening fixture of the men’s edition of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by defeating St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park in St Kitts on Thursday night.

The Royals won the toss and opted to field first and it proved to be a wise decision as they restricted the Patriots to 149 for eight off their allotted 20 overs.

Andre Fletcher top scored for the Patriots with a sparkling 81.

Needing 150 to win, the Royals reply with 150 for three to win the match with 11 balls to spare.

Rahkeem Cornwall and Kyle Mayers raced to a 64-run opening partnership to set the platform for the victory.

Mayers, who batted through the majority of the innings, hammered 73 from 46 balls to put the result beyond doubt.

Cornwall supported well with 39 from 25 balls.

The Patriots were handed a blow prior to the match with the absence of Evin Lewis through injury but the new opening pair of Andre Fletcher and Joshua Da Silva ensured that the Patriots had a firm foundation reaching 43 without loss at the end of the PowerPlay.

Fletcher was in imperious form as he raced into the 40s and although he slowed down somewhat as he approached his 50, once that landmark was reached he pressed on the accelerator once again eventually being dismissed for a brilliant 81 from 55 balls.

However, that was the only knock of substance in the Patriots’ innings as no other batter was able to stick with Fletcher long enough to help set a more challenging total.

Barbados Royals were excellent in the field, and this was no more typified than Corbin Bosch’s five catches in the outfield, a CPL record.

If the Patriots were going to defend their total, they had to match the Royals’ excellence in the field, but drops in the field released the pressure on the Royals

Mayers was to be the biggest beneficiary of the chances that went begging as he survived three drops to guide the Royals to the cusp of victory before Azam Khan (9) and David Miller (2) saw them over the line with plenty of balls to spare.

NewsAmericasNow.com