Tridents end four-game slide with commanding rout of Kings
Key Points(5)
- The Barbados Tridents needed a response, and they delivered one with authority.
- After four consecutive defeats, the Tridents returned home Sunday night and produced a complete performance at Kensington Oval, dismantling the Saint Lucia Kings by eight wickets in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
- The victory was Barbados’ third of the season and its second win over the Kings this year, but more importantly, it provided a much-needed jolt of confidence heading into the closing stages of the group campaign.
- The foundation was laid by a disciplined bowling attack before Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke calmly completed the job with the bat.
- Pooran provides the early spark then Mujeeb strikes Sent in first, the Kings appeared determined to erase the memory of their previous meeting with the Tridents, when they suffered a crushing 98-run defeat.
The Barbados Tridents needed a response, and they delivered one with authority.
After four consecutive defeats, the Tridents returned home Sunday night and produced a complete performance at Kensington Oval, dismantling the Saint Lucia Kings by eight wickets in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The victory was Barbados’ third of the season and its second win over the Kings this year, but more importantly, it provided a much-needed jolt of confidence heading into the closing stages of the group campaign.
The foundation was laid by a disciplined bowling attack before Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke calmly completed the job with the bat.
Pooran provides the early spark then Mujeeb strikes
Sent in first, the Kings appeared determined to erase the memory of their previous meeting with the Tridents, when they suffered a crushing 98-run defeat.
Kamil Pooran immediately gave them reason for optimism.
The explosive opener drove the Kings through the PowerPlay, helping them reach 51 for one after six overs and putting the visitors in a strong early position.
But Barbados had no intention of allowing that momentum to last.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman ended Pooran’s assault six balls later, removing him for 37 and triggering a dramatic change in the innings.
From that point, the Tridents’ bowlers tightened the screws.
Mujeeb and Sams suffocate the Kings
Mujeeb and Jakeem Pollard applied sustained pressure through the middle overs, restricting boundaries and forcing the Kings to fight for every run.
Roston Chase attempted to restore some momentum, battling his way to 34, but the Barbados attack never allowed the innings to fully recover.
Mujeeb was the standout performer, finishing with 3-22 from his four overs, while Daniel Sams complemented him superbly with an economical 2-20.
The Kings then struggled badly at the finish.
They managed only 29 runs during the final five overs and lost three wickets, leaving them stranded on 138 for six.
After their promising start, the Kings had been reduced to a total that offered Barbados a clear opportunity to seize control.
King and Carter set the chase in motion
The Tridents wasted little time taking advantage.
Brandon King and Zachary Carter attacked positively at the top of the order, putting together 41 runs before Saint Lucia finally found an opening.
Chase claimed King for 22, and hometown favorite Joshua Bishop soon followed by dismissing Carter after the opener had contributed a useful 32.
The Tridents were 63 for two, and the Kings briefly sensed an opportunity.
But their best work was still to come.
De Kock and Clarke shut the door
Rivaldo Clarke joined veteran left-hander Quinton de Kock, and the pair initially resisted the temptation to force the pace.
The Kings tried to reproduce the disciplined bowling approach that had restricted their own batsmen, with Bishop and Charith Asalanka leading the effort.
There were a few nervous moments for Barbados, including chances that failed to carry to fielders.
But de Kock and Clarke remained composed.
Once they settled, the chase steadily moved beyond Saint Lucia’s reach.
De Kock finished unbeaten on 47, while Clarke remained not out on 36. Their unbroken 76-run partnership completely removed any remaining doubt, carrying Barbados to 139 for two with 13 deliveries still available.
It was the kind of controlled finish the Tridents had been missing during their four-game slide.
A timely victory at the business end
The win gives Barbados renewed momentum as the group stage approaches its conclusion.
The Tridents will remain at home for their next assignment, facing the Patriots on Thursday with an opportunity to build on a performance that combined disciplined bowling with intelligent batting.
For the Kings, the setback leaves little time for reflection.
They must regroup quickly before facing the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday in their final group-stage fixture.
At Kensington Oval, however, the night belonged emphatically to Barbados.
After four straight losses, the Tridents did not merely stop the slide.
They ended it in style.
