Seifert's 61-ball 105* and Chase's three-wicket over lift St Lucia Kings to the top
St Lucia Kings hit 211 for 4, only the second 200-plus total of the season, and it was never really threatened except when Kieron Pollard smashed a 26-ball 65
St Lucia Kings hit 211 for 4, only the second 200-plus total of the season, and it was never really threatened except when Kieron Pollard smashed a 26-ball 65
Commentator: Rashad Mahbub
Well, folks, that wraps up all the action from Trinidad for today. Thank you for staying tuned with us here at Cricinfo. Do join us again tomorrow for more CPL action. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of Chandankumar Duorah. Goodbye!
Roston Chase: "I'm very proud. I never like to rely on the toss because I find it puts the team in a bad space mentally. So whatever we have to do, we just do it well, and once we do that, it makes whatever comes second a bit easier. [Tim Seifert] Yeah, we missed him dearly, and I'm glad he's here. That was a brilliant run. The way he starts and puts good bowlers under pressure is key for us in terms of throwing off their best bowlers, making it hard for them to adjust. That's what makes him special. [Wonderful season with the ball] I found that the wicket would hold up if you hit the deck - not floaty, but just pushing it into the wicket to get that grip. [Matthew Forde] We knew these guys were going to come hard because we had a big total on the board. They wanted a fast powerplay to carry momentum into the middle overs. So I told the bowlers not to worry about an expensive start, as long as we kept them to a decent rate. The real game starts after the powerplay. [How do you keep the momentum going?] Winning in Trinidad gives the team a huge confidence boost, so we'll enjoy the night. But we still need to stick to our basics when we get into our team meetings and make our plans. It's just about the guys executing them. I don't like my team to feel any pressure, especially against bigger names. We just need to play our cricket, not the reputation, and execute the plans to the best of our ability."
Nicholas Pooran: "We have been struggling as a bowling unit. It's all about trying to figure out what we need to break that partnership and restrict them, but unfortunately we couldn't. Sometimes the opposition is just difficult to play against. In CPL, every team has local and young players, and we have to be the ones to guide them. Giving them the opportunity in CPL is tough because there are a lot of top overseas and international players. They are going to be challenged and tested in different ways, and we have to be there for them. We don't expect anything to be perfect; you know how difficult this game is. At the moment, it's all about guiding them, being there for them, and helping them learn. [Batting concern] Chasing 212 is obviously a steep total, particularly right in a game like this. We had some low totals earlier, but the game was just walking in their direction tonight. That's how it went, and those are the critical moments in the game where unfortunately we fell short. [Mindset for the next game] We've been in this position before, and we know we can turn it around. We just need to figure it out and get that one win to get the momentum back. Nothing changes overnight; we don't become a bad team just because of a couple of games. We need the crowd to support us, and in this tournament, things can change really fast."
Player of the Match, Tim Seifert: "[Second CPL hundred] Very pleased. The most important thing is we got the win tonight against a very good team. You know, it probably wasn't the best start for us in the first five games, but we said to ourselves to forget about that and focus on the next five. Now we're two for two. So yeah, it's a great night, and to come here and win gives huge confidence to the boys. [What pleased you the most while batting on this surface?] I think it's just shifting through the gears. You know, we thought that pace was going to be the easier option, so we looked to attack the pace and just play smart cricket against the quality spin that they have. [Rapid start in the powerplay] I think in modern T20 cricket you always look to get off to a good start, no matter if you're setting or chasing. Opening doesn't really change. I think it's what you do after the powerplay where you win the games. [Any big feelings for the crowd?] Look, it's always good to win here, whether you're a Knight Rider or not."
10:40 pm The Knight Riders got off to a flying start, racing to 56 without loss in the powerplay while thrashing the bowlers all around the park. The 70-run opening stand was finally broken when Chase dismissed Narine for 25 runs. That opened the floodgates as Chase delivered a staggering triple-wicket over, removing Narine, Breetzke and Pooran in quick succession. Munro was looking in fine touch at the other end, but he too departed for 48 after being caught at backward point. Pollard then provided a glimmer of hope, launching a continuous boundary-hitting counterattack. He brought up a lightning-fast fifty off just 21 balls, taking the game by the scruff of the neck before his brilliant 26-ball 65 came to an end, caught and bowled by Forde. That proved to be the game-changer for the Kings, as Forde removed Pollard just as he was single-handedly threatening to snatch victory. With today's victory, the St Lucia Kings climb to the top of the table.
Kevin: "It's unbelievable that TKR can have such a thin batting line up!"
St Lucia Kings won by 36 runs
Dominic Drakes is the new batter in
MW Tromp c Pienaar b Gaston 15 (66m 26b 0x4 0x6) SR: 57.69
St Lucia Kings hit 211 for 4, only the second 200-plus total of the season, and it was never really threatened except when Kieron Pollard smashed a 26-ball 65