CPL 2022, Barbados Royals vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Mayers, Holder shine in Royals victory

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St Kitts, September 2: Barbados Royals registered victory in their opening fixture of Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2022) against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots with a dominant performance in all three facets of the game.

The Royals won the toss and opted to field first and it proved to be a wise decision as Andre Fletcher’s sparkling 81 aside they were able to take regular wickets to restrict the Patriots to 149/8.

In reply, Rahkeem Cornwall and Kyle Mayers raced to a 64-run partnership to set the platform for a straight forward win.

With Mayers batting through the majority of the innings the chase was always a formality as his 73 from 46 balls put the result beyond doubt.

The Patriots were handed a blow prior to the match with the injury enforced absence of Evin Lewis but the new opening pair of Andre Fletcher and Joshua Da Silva ensured that the Patriots had a firm foundation reaching 43/0 at the end of the PowerPlay.

Fletcher was in imperious form as he raced into the 40s and although he slowed down somewhat as he approached his 50, once that landmark was reached he pressed on the accelerator once again eventually being dismissed for a brilliant 81 from 55 balls.

However that was the only knock of substance in the Patriots innings as no other batter was able to stick with Fletcher long enough to help set a more challenging total.

The Barbados Royals were excellent in the field, and this was no more typified than Corbin Bosch’s five catches in the outfield, a CPL record.

If the Patriots were going to defend their total, they had to match the Royals’ excellence in the field, but drops in the field released the pressure on the Royals

Mayers was to be the biggest beneficiary of the chances that went begging as he survived three drops to guide to the Royals to the cusp of victory before Azam Khan and David Miller saw them over the line with plenty of balls to spare.

Brief scores: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots: 149 for 8 in 20 overs (Fletcher 81, Da Silva 19; Holder 2/21, Simmonds 2/28) lost to Barbados Royals: 150 for 3 (Mayers 73, Cornwall 39; Bravo 2/33, Pretorius 1/18) by 7 wickets.