Not often can you make the headlines when your teammate scores a 15-ball fifty, takes an outstanding catch and takes 2 wickets with the ball.
Such was USA leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr’s impact on the game between the Barbados Tridents and Trinbago Knight Riders as he secured a 5-wicket haul, including 3 wickets in a single over!
The Tridents won the toss and chose to bat – a decision that was well assisted by the openers Johnson Charles and Jonathan Carter – as they both secured half centuries taking the score to 110 in 13.5 overs. Both the openers and number four, Alex Hales, fell in quick succession as the Tridents slumped from 110 for no loss to 116 for 3 in a span of 7 balls.
But then began the real carnage as JP Duminy affected ruthless punishment to the Knight Riders’ bowlers to score a 20-ball 65, including the fastest ever fifty in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) – off just 15 balls. Ali Khan was taken to the cleaners as he went for 51 runs in just 3 overs while Jimmy Neesham bore the brunt, once again, and went for 25 runs in the only over he bowled.
Chasing a 193 to win, the Knight Riders got off to a great start and were nicely poised at 75 for 3 in just 8 overs – with Darren Bravo and Ramdin going strong, and the big hitters, Pollard and Neesham, to follow.
But it was not supposed to be as the USA leg-spinning all-rounder, Hayden Walsh Jr., had different ideas. He bowled a spell that reads: 4 overs 19 runs 5 wickets. The wickets he snapped included the well set Bravo and Ramdin, the dangerous Pollard and Neesham, and Prasanna being his fifth scalp. He got Pollard and Neesham in the same over (with Prasanna too) and broke the spine of the Knight Riders’ chase.
Duminy completed a great day at the office dismissing the tail-enders Khary Pierre and Ali Khan.
JP Duminy was named the “Player-of-the-Match”, but it was Hayden Walsh Jr. who won the hearts and turned the game on its head.
Full Scorecard here: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8623/scorecard/1185859/barbados-tridents-vs-trinbago-knight-riders-23rd-match-caribbean-premier-league-2019
