Pooran’s 81 off 39 fires Tridents to victory

Barbados Tridents’ 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran smashed a career-best 81 off 39 balls to propel his side to 173 and set up a comfortable 25-run win over St Lucia Zouks in Bridgetown.

The hosts needed impetus at 51 for 2 in the ninth over, after openers Kyle Hope and Shoaib Malik were dismissed within seven balls of each other. Pooran provided that during a third-wicket partnership of 68 off 40 with AB de Villiers.

After de Villiers departed in the 16th over – miscuing a Jerome Taylor slower ball to deep midwicket – Pooran took complete charge of the innings. He hit a four and a six off Kyle Mayers in the 17th over, and followed that with three fours and a six off Shane Watson’s 18th.

Zouks never got going in the run chase. Ravi Rampaul knocked over Shane Watson for a duck and kept Andre Fletcher to 20, which ended up the top score of the innings along with the extras.

When captain Darren Sammy played onto his stumps off left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer in the first ball of the 14th over, Zouks were reduced to 84 for 6. A double-strike from Wayne Parnell, the South African left-arm quick, in the 17th over left Zouks in danger of being bowled out but they just about managed to prevent that.

Tridents registered their third win of the season, out of six matches, while Zouks languish at the bottom of the points table with one win out of four. (ESPNCricinfo)

Photo caption: Nicholas Pooran hits out during his knock