Patriots next in line as Zouks target two on the trot in CPL 2020
Daren Sammy and co. will hope to make it two wins out of three when they take on the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League on Saturday, August 22. St. Lucia Zouks performed admirably with the ball against champions Barbados Tridents last time around, with their part-time spinners wreaking havoc in the middle overs; and will now hope to continue that momentum against the Patriots now who find themselves bottom of the table after two games.
Rayad Emrit’s side are still looking for their first points of CPL 2020, with their batting being a cause for concern. The Patriots have failed to put up a team total in excess of 150 so far in the competition with none of their batters getting even a fifty so far. Heading into their third game, the Patriots management would be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes to lift them out of the bottom of the group.
Head-to-Head
| St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots | St. Lucia Zouks |
| 5 | 3 |
The head-to-head record is narrowly tipped in favour of the Patriots, with games between these two CPL teams being washed out twice as well in the past. However, this time around the Zouks are the in-form side and start off as favourites against the Patriots.
The spoils were shared when the two sides met last season, with both teams winning once. For the Zouks, it was star pacer Kesrick Williams who did the damage last time around with three wickets, dismissing top order players like Laurie Evans and Fabian Allen. The 30-year-old already has three scalps to his name this season and will aim to add a few more to his list.
Watch out for:
Roston Chase continued his good form, this time with the ball as he picked up two wickets in his two overs against the Tridents while conceding just eight runs. Shining with the ball, bat and also on the field with some sharp close-in catching, Chase is bound to be the man to watch out for in the game against the Patriots.
Mohammad Nabi’s quick cameo with the bat helped ease the pressure for the Zouks in their previous game against the Tridents. Captain Sammy highlighted the importance of spin bowling in CPL 2020 in a recent interview, and Nabi’s precise off-breaks and lower order aggression will be integral for his team if they are to get consecutive wins.
Opponent corner
Captain Rayad Emrit has been the pick of the bowlers for the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, picking up five wickets so far. With his myriad variations and effective changes in pace, he has been difficult for decipher for opposition batsmen so far. On the batting front, the likes of Chris Lynn and Evin Lewis are yet to really make their mark on the competition, and would hope that the third game in CPL 2020 brings about a change in fortune.
Probable XI: Andre Fletcher, Rakheem Cornwall, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Daren Sammy (c), Roston Chase, Scott Kuggelejin, Chemar Holder, Kesrick Williams, Obed McCoy, Saad Bin Zafar
NOTE:The aforementioned line-up is an educated guess at best, and the final decision rests with the captain and the team management depending on various external factors.
About St Lucia Zouks
St Lucia Zouks is the representative team of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) of Cricket. Founded in 2013, the team has been competing in the tournament since its inception and is currently owned by KPH Dream Cricket Pvt Ltd – the consortium that owns Kings XI Punjab.
The team is named after St Lucia, one of the four islands in the Caribbean known for its rich creole culture which is represented in its logo. A vibrant mix of blues and yellows, the logo also has a flame symbol that is derived from the national flag, representing a desire to win. In 2016, the team held the record of winning six out of ten games securing the third position in the league. St Lucia Zouks is a popular team among cricket fans around the world.
This year, the team will be coached by Andy Flower and captained by Daren Sammy who is leading the squad for the first time. Players comprise Mohammad Nabi, Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Rahkeem Cornwall, Chemar Holder, Javelle Glen, Mark Deyal, Leniko Boucher, Kavem Hodge, Obed McCoy, Kimani Melius, Saad Bin Zafar, Scott Kuggelein, Roston Chase, Najibullah Zadran and Zahir Khan.
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