TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC) — Kieron Pollard rolled back the hands of time with a superb half-century that helped the Trinbago Knight Riders earn a close 12-run victory over the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, to extend their lead at the top of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League table here on Monday.

The 38-year-old Pollard unleashed his fury on the Patriots’ bowling attack, blasting 65 off just 29 balls, and together with Captain Nicholas Pooran, who also scored a half-century, carried the Knight Riders to 179 for six from their 20 overs after they were sent in to bat at Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

The Patriots looked on track to end the home side’s four-match winning streak, having reached 96 without loss in the 11th over, but they struggled to score runs thereafter and were limited to 167 for six in 20 overs.

It gave the Knight Riders their fifth win in as many matches and fourth at home, and took them to 12 points from their seven matches — two points clear of the Saint Lucia Kings who have also played seven games.

There was no flying start this time around from the Knight Riders’ opening pair of Colin Munro and Alex Hales, though, with both falling cheaply to leave the home side 27 for two in the fifth over.

Darren Bravo and Pooran put on 51 runs for the third wicket, until spinner Navin Bidaisse broke the partnership by dismissing Bravo for a pedestrian 21 off 25 balls.

Pollard, the Player of the Match, joined his skipper and the two transformed the complexion of the match during a 90-run partnership that spanned eight overs.

The powerfully built Pollard took some time to get going, scoring 12 runs off the first 12 balls he faced.

However, he shifted gears almost instantly, hitting Bidaisse for three sixes in the 15th over.

Pollard then brought up his half-century in the next over off 21 deliveries by smashing spinner Waqar Salamkheil for four consecutive sixes.

Shortly after, Pooran reached his 50 off 33 balls with a single off Naseem Shah, but they both fell in the space of five balls as the Patriots fought back to limit the damage at the death.

In all, Pollard clobbered eight sixes and two fours while Pooran hit four fours and three sixes.

Jason Holder was the best bowler with 2-25.

Needing to score at exactly eight runs an over, the Patriots were given a perfect start by openers Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher, with the two adding 96 runs for the first wicket.

But once Edward struck to dismiss Lewis for 42 off 25 balls the Patriots lost all of their momentum.

Alick Athanaze scored 18 off 14 balls before he lost his wicket to Mohammad Amir, and when Fletcher was bowled by Usman Tariq for a well-played 67 off 54 balls the Patriots had slipped to 128 for three in the 16th over.

Holder scored just seven, Kyle Mayers made three, and Jyd Goolie was dismissed for a first ball duck, to see them crumble to 144 for six in the 19th over.

Edward ended with figures of 3-30, while Amir took 2-29.