Falcons soar to thrilling victory over Royals in CPL thriller

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC):

In a heart-stopping clash at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons edged past the Barbados Royals by six wickets with just two balls to spare in a pulsating third match of The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) here on Saturday.

The Royals, two-time CPL champions and victors in their last two meetings with the Falcons, were left ruing costly fielding errors, including critical dropped catches and missed run-outs, as they stumbled in their tournament opener.

Falcons skipper Imad Wasim made the crucial call to bowl first on a damp pitch, a decision that paid dividends as his side expertly navigated a tricky chase of 152.

The hero of the night was Karima Gore, whose unbeaten 64 off 53 deliveries earned him Player of the Match honours, his second consecutive fifty in the tournament.

Gore’s composed knock was built on relentless running, which included 24 singles and calculated aggression, which saw the right-hander chalk up three fours and two sixes in the successful run chase at 152 for four in 19.4 overs.

Opener Jewel Andrew provided early support with a brisk 28 before falling to Jomel Warrican, who claimed his first CPL wicket in a decade, his last being the legendary Jacques Kallis in 2015.

Earlier, the Royals had posted a competitive 150, powered by half-centuries from opener Quinton de Kock and captain Rovman Powell.

De Kock smashed 57 from 45 balls, including five fours and a six, while Powell weighed in with an unbeaten 51, which came off just 24 balls, with three fours and five sixes, as the Royals posted 151 for six. Jayden Seales and Obed McCoy claimed two wickets each.

Reflecting on his innings, Gore said his current purple patch was built around his pre-tournament preparation and knowledge of the surroundings.

“At first, I had to adjust to the pitch; it wasn’t easy. But I pride myself on my running and fitness. They say singles are part of aggressive batting, so I focused on rotating strike and picking my moments.”