St Lucia Kings 211 for 4 (Seifert 105*, Asalanka 33, Pollard 1-24) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 175 for 6 (Pollard 65, Munro 48, Chase 3 for 24) by 36 runs
Tim Seifert smashed his second CPL century, this one a 61-ball 105 not out, to take St Lucia Kings to 211 for 4, only the second 200-plus score of the season in what was the 17th game. And that was far too many for Trinbago Knight Riders to chase down on the night in Port of Spain, Kieron Pollard’s 26-ball 65 giving them some hope but nothing more.
Kings’ 64 for 1 in the powerplay after being asked to bat was already ominous signs in a tournament where teams have largely struggled to get going early on. Seifert was on song from the word go, as was Kamil Pooran, one of the breakout stars this season. The two put on 60 in just 34 balls, Pooran hitting 25 in 17 and Seifert 31 in 17.
The break was provided by Usman Tariq, but Seifert then put on 75 more with John Campbell, this stand taking just 38 balls as Kings were on a roll. Campbell hit 27 in 17, and by the time he was sent back by Sunil Narine for his 650th T20 wicket – only Rashid Khan has more, with 736 – Seifert was on a rollicking 78 in 38 balls.
Charith Asalanka came in and the respite Knight Riders might have hoped for just didn’t come. This partnership was worth 51 in 36 balls. Seifert appeared to slow down in this phase, scoring just a run-a-ball 15 with Asalanka, but Asalanka turned it on, hitting 33 in 21.
All that was left to see once Asalanka was dismissed at the end of the 18th over was whether Seifert had slowed down too much to miss his century. But he got there in the last over with a pull off a slower bouncer from Pollard, reaching the mark in 57 balls.
Knight Riders were always up against it, and though they had a very good start, Colin Munro and Narine scoring 56 in the powerplay, it seemed like a wicket or two would derail them. That’s what happened once Roston Chase got the ball for the eighth over. Narine was gone off the third ball. Matthew Breetze went next ball. And Nicholas Pooran off the fifth. Suddenly it was game over from an even situation.
The wickets kept falling, but Pollard decided to make it one of those nights where he just struts his stuff and does special things. Before anyone even realised it, he had hit two fours and two sixes to get to 23 from ten balls. That became 31 from 14, then 44 from 19, then 50 from 21, and 65 from 25, with six fours and five sixes before he was caught and bowled by Matthew Forde, top-edging an attempted pull.
That pretty much finished it off even though 3.5 overs were left, and Knight Riders only managed to get to 175.
The result lifted Kings back to No. 1, the second team to get to eight points after Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. Knight Riders, meanwhile, are down at No. 6.
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