In a clash of the Caribbean Premier League 2024 frontrunners, Barbados Royals rode on Quinton de Kock’s breezy ton to register a 32-run victory against Guyana Amazon Warriors and move to the top spot on the points table. De Kock’s 68-ball 115, laced with eight fours and nine sixes, and a handy 28* off 10 by the experienced Jason Holder powered the Royals to 205/6. You can also move with similar alacrity towards Champions League tickets via UCL.
Amazon Warriors could only managed 173/5 in reply as the Royals chipped away regularly – Keshav Maharaj bagged three wickets and Holder two. It was their first loss of the 2024 edition. They required 77 runs to win in the last 5 overs but they couldn’t get anywhere close as some incisive bowling from the Royals kept the run flow under control at the death.
After a narrow defeat to Trinbago Knight Riders the night earlier, the Royals shook up their batting order with Kadeem Alleyne replacing Rahkeem Cornwall. Alleyne took the opportunity with both hands as he monstered a couple of massive sixes – Moeen Ali on CPL debut wasn’t spared either – but his electrifying 22 off 9 balls ended in the third over when he holed out to pacer Dwaine Pretorius.
After a watchful start, de Kock pressed the accelerator by intelligently taking on Shamar Joseph in the seventh over. It was a game of cat and mouse as Joseph, desperate to rediscover his mojo, bowled a delivery that de Kock copped on the body.
The swashbuckling South African, however, braved the discomfort and glided to his half-century off 34 balls. He targetted the straight boundaries, highlighted by his takedown of a slower delivery back over the head of left-arm quick Raymon Reifer. Gudakesh Motie bore the brunt as well as de Kock’s six off him helped Royals past 100 in the 11th over.
Wickets tumbled around de Kock, who appeared to be operating on a different plane as he reached his century off 60 balls. He joined Evin Lewis as the only batters to hit a century so far in this season’s Carribean Premier League. Jason Holder, who was put down by Shimron Hetmyer off Pretorius, struck a hat-trick of sixes and a boundary off Paul in a 25-run 19th over to apply the finishing touches to Barbados Royals’ ebullient innings.
Brief scores: Barbados Royals 205/6 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 115, Jason Holder 28*; Raymon Reifer 3-50, Dwaine Pretorius 2-27) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 173/5 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 40, Moeen Ali 33; Keshav Maharaj 3-42, Jason Holder 2-32) by 32 runs.