PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Disciplined bowling steered the Jamaica Tallawahs to a narrow five-run victory over the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in their CPL T20 match at Queens Park Oval on Wednesday night.

Defending a modest 146 on a good pitch, the Tallawahs restricted the Red Steel to 141 for five off their

20 overs.

The Red Steel, after winning the toss and sending in the Tallawahs, were in range of pulling off their first victory of the tournament but were unable to counter the accuracy and variations of Muralitharan, Vernon Philander and Andre Russell in the critical overs.

With captain Dwayne Bravo at the crease with teenager Nicholas Pooran, and the score on 83 for four after 15 overs, the hometeam seemed in position to pull off a win. However, once Bravo (29 runs) was caught by wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, early in the 19th over off a skier from a short ball from Russell, the ambitions of the Red Steel were dashed.

Pooran, who hit 20 from 15 balls, and Cooper, not out eight, tried desperately to find the boundary in the last over, when 21 runs were needed from six balls, but were pegged back by Philander.

The Tallawahs also owed their victory to some late aggression from eventual Man-of-the-Match, Danza Hyatt and South-African Philander, who propelled them to a total they were able to defend after the top order struggled against the Red

Steel bowling.

Hyatt scored an aggressive but critical 42 not out off 26 balls, in adding an important 41 off the last 14 balls with Philander who was unbeaten on 23 off eight balls.

Medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo, also the captain of the Red Steel, again proved expensive in the 19th over as he lofted for two sixes, and driven for a four by Philander, while conceding 26 from his last over. He ended with figures of one wicket for 39 runs after he had earlier accounted for Chris Gayle in the

11th over.

Gayle, the Tallawahs captain, scored 28 in putting on 44 in six overs for the first wicket with Ahmed Shehzad (20) and seemed to be rediscovering his touch after a poor run of form so far in the tournament.

He also rotated and utilised his bowlers well to ensure the victory for the Tallawahs.