Hero CPL T20 Final Bravo’s TKR battle Gayle’s Patriots tonight

Sep 09, 2017 Sports

By Sean Devers in Trinidad in association with Noble House Seafoods, Elegance Jewellery & Pawn Shop and Vnet Communications
Tonight it will be the moment of truth at the Brian Lara Academy from 21:00hrs in the much anticipated final of the 2017 Hero CPL T20 tournament and a sold-out crowd is anticipated to see if Christopher Henry Gayle can become the first man to win back-to-back CPL titles for two different teams when St Kitts and Nevis Patriots face-off with Dwayne Bravo’s Trinbago Knight Riders.
The last time these teams met at this ground, the Patriots beat Knight Riders by 38 runs in the play-off which assured them a place in tonight’s final for the first time in the five-year history of Hero CPL T20.
Patriots, led by Gayle’s unbeaten 54 and 30 from Brandon King made 147-7 in 20 overs with Dwayne Bravo (4-38) and Guyanese pacer Ronsford Beaton (2-22) doing the damage for TKR before Sheldon Cottrell’s 3-17 helped the Patriots dismiss TKR for 111 in 19.3 overs as only the Bravo siblings Darren (29) and Dwayne (24) reached 20.
Gayle has led Tallawahs to two titles and has now has resurrected a struggling St Kitts into a fighting unit after leading the Tallawahs to victory over the Warriors in last year’s final.
The Knight Riders dominated the group stage finishing on top and after losing to Patriots had to stop the Warriors’ five-match unbeaten streak to qualify for the final, triumphing by six-wickets to set up what is expected to be an epic battle between the top two teams.
TKR have two wins from three matches against Patriots in this year’s CPL but the fourth match between the sides will be the most important of them all as Patriots aim to make it 2-all to win their first CPL crown which will put a smile on the faces of those in the Leeward Islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma.
The Patriots have lots of fire power at the top with Gayle (375) and 18 T20 tons to his name and Trini Evin Lewis (355) with three T20 centuries, the openers have scored most their team’s runs. West Indies T20 skipper Carlos Braithwaite (121) is next best in the runs aggregate. Pakistani all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez (115) and King (106) are the only other batsmen to reach 100 runs for the Patriots and they will need support from Jonathon Carter, Devon Thomas, Mohammed Nabi and Shamarah Brooks who have not had much opportunity to bat.
Braithwaite (10) has the most wickets for his side while Cottrell, Nabi and South Africa’s left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi have taken nine wickets each. Pacer Hasan Ali and leg-spinner Samuel Badree could also contribute with the ball on what is expected to be a fast outfield and good track.
The loss of Brendon McCullum leaves a big hole in TKR’s batting but Colin Munro, with three fifties in his 337 runs is in good nick as is Darren Bravo with 246 runs while Denish Ramdin, Dwayne Bravo and Jevon Searles have all contributed important runs this season.
The host team has a potent pace attack led by the fast improving Beaton who is bowling with pace and control, something he lacked in the past. He will expect support from Searles, Dwayne Bravo who is the second highest wicket-taker (16) and Kevin Copper.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine (who can also be used as a pinch hitter) and leg-spinner Shadab Khan gives TKR the most potent spin pair in the tournament and on a track expected to assist spin they could be the Patriots’ biggest worry.

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