Shanaka’s record ton inspires Patriots to thumping 137-run win

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St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots registered a thumping 137-run win over the Saint Lucia Kings at Basseterre on Thursday (September 3). Piling on 235 for 4 on the back of Dasun Shanaka’s record century, the Patriots rolled their opponents out for just 98 with Jeremiah Louis picking up five wickets.

Asked to bat first, the Patriots began modestly, scoring just 10 runs from the first three overs while also losing Kyle Mayers. The tempo shifted in the third over with Matthew Forde conceding a six, four and five wides. Andre Fletcher then smashed Maheesh Theekshana for 19 runs in the following over before three more boundaries came in the sixth, taking the Patriots to 59 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay.

Fletcher was dropped in the seventh over and promptly brought up fifty, off just 23 balls, in the seventh over. Roston Chase broke the 81-run stand between Fletcher and Johnson Charles by dismissing the latter in the 10th over but the real carnage was yet to unfold. Shanaka began his brutal assault by smashing Joshua Bishop for two fours and followed it up with two sixes against Chase.

The Kings dismissed Fletcher and Jason Holder in the space of two overs but there was no respite with Shanaka firing on all cylinders. He brought up fifty off just 24 balls before reaching his century off just 39 deliveries – the fastest in the CPL. He struck four sixes and a boundary off the final over as the Patriots finished with an imposing 235 for 4.

The Kings’ chase never really got off the ground. After losing Kamil Pooran in the very first over, they also lost John Campbell and Charith Asalanka inside the Powerplay to end up with just 46 for 3 from the phase. Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Obus Pienaar in the following over and then it was the Jeremiah Louis show. Brought into the attack in the 10th over, Louis struck straightaway, removing Chase and Forde off successive deliveries. Tim Seifert, who had been fighting a lone battle, was then sent back by Ashmead Nedd in the following over.

Louis returned to claim Joshua Bishop before wrapping the innings up by dismissing Theekshana and Amari Goodridge in the 14th over. The Kings were skittled out for just 98 with only three batters getting into double figures.

Brief Scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 235/4 in 20 overs (Dasun Shanaka 121*, Andre Fletcher 64; Matthew Forde 2-48) beat Saint Lucia Kings 98 all-out in 13.5 overs (Tim Seifert 50; Jeremiah Louis 5-10) by 137 runs.