Cottrell destroys Stars as Patriots march on
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) — St Lucia Stars crashed to an embarrassing seven-wicket defeat to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots after they were dismissed for the third lowest-ever total in Caribbean Premier League history here Tuesday night.
Just five days after amassing a record 226 against Barbados Tridents, Stars slumped to a new low, bowled out for 69 in the 13th over after being asked to bat first at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground.
Qais Ahmad, batting at number six, struck 24 from 18 balls with a brace of fours and sixes, but only one other batsman — Australian opener David Warner with 14 – managed to scrape into double figures.
Stars were undone by man-of-the-match left-arm speedster Sheldon Cottrell who claimed three for 14, while 18-year-old Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (2-13) and Afghanistan off-spinner Mahmudullah (2-20) supported with two wickets apiece.
In reply, the visitors required just eight overs to reach their target, with Devon Thomas, promoted to open instead of Chris Gayle, smashing an unbeaten 38 off 21 deliveries with five fours and a six.
He put on 30 for the first wicket with the badly out of form Evin Lewis who managed 13 before top-edging a short one from seamer Mitchell McClenaghan to mid-on, and then added a further 30 for the second wicket with Brandon King (17).
The defeat for the Stars was their fifth in six outings, and it left them bottom of the six-team standings on two points, with just four matches remaining.
Patriots, meanwhile, notched their second win in four matches and lie fourth on four points.
Andre Fletcher perished to the fourth ball of the match for eight with as many runs on the board, nudging a low full toss back to Cottrell and his dismissal sparked a slide as Stars slumped to 24 for four in the fifth over.
Cottrell also got the prized wicket of captain Kieron Pollard, fourth out, deceived and caught by Lewis at cover for four.
Qais Ahmad and Warner staged the best stand of the innings when they added 25 for the fifth wicket, to offer hope of a better total.
But Warner sliced a Lamichhane googly and was caught by Ben Cutting running in from deep point in the ninth over, triggering a terminal decline as six wickets fell for 20 runs in the space of 24 deliveries.
