Narine, Tion Webster make it two from two for TKR

Defending Caribbean Premier League champions Trinbago Knight Riders made it two wins from two to open the 2019 season after inflicting a 22-run defeat on Jamaica Tallawhs at the Queens Park Oval. Tion Webster scored an unbeaten 66 while Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard played quickfire knocks to prop the hosts to 191. Narine then turned in a typically miserly performance with the ball to keep a powerful Tallawahs line-up in check. 

Unlike their opening win over the Patriots, Trinbago found their top-order clicking into gear albeit thanks to some fielding benevolence from their opposition. Lendl Simmons, replacing Colin Munro for the first three games, hit a four and a six in a sign of having found his mojo early but was soon castled by Christopher Lamont for 11. That wicket brought Narine and Webster together for a 74-run blitz. 

Narine, walking in at one-drop, hit Lamont for 4, 6 and 4 off the first three balls he faced, transferring the pressure to the opposition as quickly as it had come their way following that Simmons loss. Narine was handed a reprieve when Chris Gayle dropped a relatively simple chance at fine-leg, one he made the Tallawahs pay by motoring away to 32 off just 9 deliveries. The pinch-hitter eventually made 46 off 22 with four fours and three sixes before falling to Shamar Springer. 

TKR lost James Neesham quickly but with Webster dropping anchor from one end, the likes of Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard could continue looking to keep the high scoring rate. Despite a little dip enforced by tight bowling from the Tallawahs, TKR were able to reach 191 thanks to captain Pollard, who hit four boundaries enroute his unbeaten 33 off 21. Webster batted through the innings, despite playing only 49 balls along the way for his 66. 

To keep the Tallawahs from coming anywhere near their score, TKR had to ensure Chris Gayle's Jamaica homecoming (he played for St Kitts last season) wasn't going to be a productive one. To keep him quiet, Pollard used the pace of Mohammad Hasnain and the trickery of Narine from each ends. Gayle, who worked himself to a start, fell to a pull off the other seamer - Ali Khan - for 28 while Narine pocketed the wickets of Glenn Phillips and a sluggish Chadwick Walton. 

The slow off the blocks start and the regularity of the wickets meant the required run-rate had reached Russell-proof levels. The Tallawahs middle-order strongman survived a drop before teeing off but found himself chasing a lost case. Despite a fine strategy of bowling wide yorkers to him, Russell hit 44 off the 24 balls he faced. But once he hit a Neesham full toss straight to long off, the chase was effectively sealed despite George Worker's (46*) presence at the other end. 

Brief scores: Trinbago Knight Riders 191/4 in 20 overs (Tion Webster 66*, Sunil Narine 46; Steven Jacobs 1-14) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 169/6 in 20 overs (George Worker 46*, Andre Russell 44; Sunil Narine 2-23) by 22 runs.