‘This is massive’ Powell hails result as Jamaica Kingsmen conquer TKR in CPL

Jamaica Kingsmen skipper Rovman Powell described his team’s dramatic seven-run victory over Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), under the Duckworth Lewis-Stern Method, as a statement win that could prove pivotal in their Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 cricket campaign.

After bowling first at Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday, the Kingsmen restricted the formidable Knight Riders to 180 for six, with young St. Jago High School spinner Vitel Lawes claiming 3-29 and Pakistan seamer Hunain Shah 2-27 leading the charge.

Nicholas Pooran smashed an unbeaten 60, while Sunil Narine and Colin Munro contributed 53 and 52, respectively.

In response, the visitors were cruising at 127 for three in 14.4 overs when rain intervened.

Keacy Carty’s composed 42 and Kirk McKenzie’s 30 had laid the foundation, leaving Jamaica comfortably ahead of the DLS par score to seal the crucial win.

“This is massive,” Powell declared post-match. “We started out knowing that, if we are going to progress far in this competition, you have to beat teams like Trinidad and Guyana.

“They have been the frontrunners for some time in the CPL, so it’s massive, especially to come to Trinidad and get two points.”

Critical phase

Victory moved the Kingsmen into second place on Saturday night, as the tournament reaches its critical phase, with Powell already looking ahead to an even bigger challenge.

“Now, we look ahead to the Guyana game, which becomes an even more important fixture for us. It also gives Andre Russell a bit more time to recover and come back,” he added.

Despite forecasts of rain, Powell insisted the decision to bowl first was driven purely by tactical considerations rather than weather predictions.

“We weren’t preparing for rain, to be honest. We just thought the wicket was a good one and, when you come to Trinidad, you get a bit of dew, so it’s always better to chase. That’s what drove our decision – rain wasn’t really a factor.”

Powell reserved special praise for Lawes, his St Catherine Cricket Club teammate, whose three-wicket haul proved instrumental in keeping the Knight Riders in check.

The Kingsmen’s captain emphasised the importance of patience with emerging talent.

“As a young team, we decided at the start that we’re going to give guys opportunities. It’s not a case of them playing one game, bowling one or two bad overs, and then getting dropped. At the start of my career as a youngster, I was given opportunities. So, as a captain, I try my best to do the same for these young players,” Powell analysed.

The Kingsmen promoted some of their left-handed batsmen, and Powell says this was a calculated move, designed to neutralise the threat of Akeal Hosein and force Sunil Narine into early action.

“I think it’s just down to the match-up against the Trinidadian bowlers. It’s the first time we find ourselves with so many left-handers at the top. We’re trying to mix and match to keep a left-hand, right-hand combination and see how well it works for us,” he explained.

“We’re trying our best to keep Akeal Hosein out of the game and force Sunil Narine to come on early to bowl to those left-handers.”

Jamaica Kingsmen now turn their attention to Guyana Amazon Warriors on Friday.