The Saint Lucia Kings needed to fly in a replacement player for their 2026 Republic Caribbean Premier League (CPL) opener, but a star turn from their new captain helped get their campaign off to a flying start, winning over the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons by four runs on Sunday night at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent & the Grenadines.
Gous, a temporary replacement for hard-hitting New Zealander Tim Seifert, made an immediate impact, hitting a boundary-filled 82 in the Kings’ rain-interrupted total of 187 for 8. The 32-year-old faced just 51 balls, smashing six fours and six sixes. Kamil Pooran made 14 off six balls, and Ackeem Auguste 20 from 18.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who moved to his hometown Falcons after four seasons with the Kings, was the most effective player for ABF, capturing 3 for 32.
The Falcons started well, getting to 65-1 by the end of the first six overs, 12 runs ahead of the Kings’ position at the same juncture. At the halfway mark, they were 24 runs ahead, at 109-2.
The Falcons were grounded in the middle overs. Roston Chase, Maheesh Theekshana and Shadley van Schalkwyk combined for three wickets, and the Antiguans added just 50 runs in 50 balls. Chase and Theekshana each had 2 for 18, as the Falcons limped to 183 for 7.
“I thought that we had a good score on the board,” said Chase. “We didn’t start as well as we’d like, but we pulled back the game, and I’m happy for the win.
“It was not planned for me to bowl tonight because my finger is still healing. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I just tried to go through the pain. And I was able to get four overs in tonight, and it pulled back the run rate. And the guys executed in the end, and it was good”
The Kings travel back to Saint Lucia on Monday. They get their home stand underway on Wednesday from 7 p.m. at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
