Lewis powered the innings despite his team losing early wickets following some brilliant spin bowling by Joshua Bishop.
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Absolute brutal hitting from Jamaica Tallawahs’ Kennar Lewis. It was a career-best for Lewis, who scored 89 in 53 balls including 9 fours and five massive sixes. It is also the highest score of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 season to date. Lewis carried the Jamaica Tallawahs to a strong victory over Barbados Royals with the decisive partnership coming alongside Shamarh Brooks after both teams lost top order batsmen early.
The @JAMTallawahs get their second win of the season with a brilliant display against @BarbadosRoyals #CPL21 #CricketPlayedLouder #BRvJT pic.twitter.com/0A8kENj85E
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 1, 2021
Royals got off to a very worrisome start. They slumped to 30 for 4 inside the powerplay. However, they recovered through a 71-run stand between Glenn Phillips and top-scorer Azam Khan (50) before a late flurry of hits from Joshua Bishop.
Royals had been set back early when Fidel Edwards struck twice in two balls to remove Shai Hope and Mayers. Johnson Charles became the first of four wickets for Migael Pretorius. Holder edged a terrific delivery from Andre Russell for a second-ball duck.
BOWLING BOI- Fidel Edwards picks up the @fun88eng magic moment from match 10. #CPL21 #BRvJT #CricketPlayedLouder #Fun88 pic.twitter.com/Rpaa9bcNQe
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 1, 2021
Azam was given a life on 34 when Lewis spilled a simple chance at long-on. Eventually, he and Phillips took 18 off the next over from Pretorius, forcing the Tallawahs needed to regroup. They did so with Pretorius claiming Phillips with the last ball of the over. Three balls into the next over, Powell held a magnificent catch, a skied top edge off his own bowling, to end Azam’s innings which meant both set batters had gone.
Pretorius claimed two wickets in his final over and should have had a five-wicket haul. However, Veerasammy Permaul dropped Bishop at backward point.
Bishop was in his first match of the season. He left a massive impact with his left-arm spin removing Chadwick Walton, Haider Ali and Rovman Powell in his four overs that included a maiden and 13 dots in total. The third of those wickets, Powell, came courtesy of a superb catch at long-off by the out-stretched arm of Jason Holder.
From 50 for 3, Tallawahs looked to rebuild, slowly taking charge through Lewis and Brooks. Lewis had been fortunate in the second over when his helmet fell off after being struck on the chest by a Holder short delivery and almost dropped onto the stumps. However, by the end of the powerplay, he had 30 of the 38 runs on the board.
After 10 overs, the asking rate had climbed above nine-an-over. However, Brooks started to find the boundary while Lewis surged to a 35-ball fifty before being given a life next delivery, when Mohammad Amir spilt a sprawling chance running back from short third man.
Royals’ problems mounted when Amir limped out of the attack with what appeared to be a groin injury two balls into his third over. His replacement was Kyle Mayers, who had his first two deliveries dispatched for six by Lewis. Late in the match, Bishop also became a casualty when he took a blow on the head attempting a stop in the outfield.
In the end, Lewis and Brooks helped the Tallawahs reach the target comfortably with 14 balls to spare. As it stands, the Tallawahs sit second on the table while Royals sit in fifth.
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