The Saint Lucia Kings started their campaign in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a victory on Sunday night at Warner Park in Basseterre.
In their opening match of Season 12 against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, the Kings won the toss and chose to field.
The Patriots’ innings was powered by a record-breaking partnership of 199 runs between Kyle Mayers (92)Â and Evin Lewis (100 not out), propelling them to a formidable total of 201 runs in their 20 overs.
In 2019, Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton set the previous record with a 162-run partnership for Jamaica Tallawahs.
The Kings faced a tough challenge with the bat, losing their first four wickets for just 24 runs.
However, a remarkable comeback was staged by New Zealander Tim Seifert (68) and Sri Lankan Bhunaka Rajapaksa (68 not out), who combined for a 103-run partnership for the 5th wicket, reigniting the innings.
After Seifert’s departure, veteran David Wiese contributed a crucial 34 runs, guiding the team to a thrilling win.
Kings Head Coach Daren Sammy commended his team for their remarkable comeback, emphasising that it builds character for the remainder of the tournament.
“It’s important that we went out there and believed that we could get the target. And I don’t think I could recall playing in any team being 24 for 4, chasing 200, and winning by five wickets. So we showed a lot of character with both the ball and the bat and we’ve sent a strong message and this win builds character.” Sammy said.
Kings skipper Faf Duplessis noted this bounce-back win can be a springboard moving forward.
“The start we had, us losing four wickets early and then getting to the total (inside 18 overs), will give our middle order lots of confidence,” he noted. “When you come to the Caribbean, the challenge is those middle overs against the spinners. There is always great power at the top from all teams. Even in the past, we have relied on the top order being successful. So, for us, this is huge.”
The Boys in Blue continue their search for an elusive CPL title on Tuesday against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons.
The first home game for the Kings will be Saturday evening at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground against the defending champions, Guyana Amazon Warriors.
