CPL 2018, Match 24, Barbados Tridents vs St Lucia Stars: Preview and Predicted Playing XI
Barbados Tridents will look to return to their winning ways and keep their playoff hopes alive when they go up against St Lucia Stars in the 24th game of the CPL 2018 at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday, September 2. Both teams have faced each other on eleven occasions in the Caribbean Premier League with the Tridents leading the scoreline 8-.
In their most recent clash on August 17 this season, St Lucia emerged victorious by 38 runs. Batting first, the Stars broke the CPL record for the highest-ever total as they scored massive 226/6 in their allotted 20 overs and then restricted the Tridents to 188/6.
Barbados Tridents
Tridents have won two and lost five out of the seven league matches they have played so far and are currently lying at the bottom of the CPL 2018 standings with four points. Tridents lost four back to back games against Patriots, Trinbago, Tallawahs and Warriors by six, four, five and eight wickets respectively. While another slip up will knock them out of qualifier race.
Batting: Shai Hope has been the most reliable batsman for Barbados Tridents in this year's CPL with 259 runs. While Dwayne Smith scored 58 off 45 balls in the reverse fixture and the team will be hoping these two to fire for them in do or die clash. Martin Guptill hit 60-ball 73 l against Jamaica Tallawahs, While Nicholas Pooran top-scored last time out, hitting 46 against Guyana Amazon Warrior and will be expected to replicate in this fixture as well.
Bowling: Wahab Riaz has taken eight wickets in seven games so far, while Mohammad Irfan has taken six. The skipper will most likely turn to them for getting the breakthroughs at crucial moments. While Ashley Nurse had bowled reasonably well in the earlier encounter against the Warriors and his off-spin could be effective on this surface.
Expected Playing XI: Jason Holder (C), Imran Khan, Ashley Nurse, Wahab Riaz, Chemar Holder, Mohammad Irfan, Martin Guptill, Hashim Amla, Steven Smith, Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran.
St Lucia Stars
Despite being one of the strongest contenders of CPL this season, this has been yet another disappointing CPL season for the St Lucia Stars who have struggled right through the tournament with just five points out of nine fixtures and are at the fifth spot. In their final match, they will look to end their campaign on a winning note.
Batting: Kieron Pollard hit a century when the Stars beat the Tridents earlier this year, and he tops the CPL run-scoring charts with 330 from eight innings so far. Andre Fletcher hit 80 in that game, and he has 247 so far in this year's tournament.
David Warner has scored 178 runs, including one 72 not out and Lendl Simmons is the only other St Lucia batsman to pass 100 runs so far, which has been their major concern throughout the season and the team will need them to fire against Tridents.
Bowling: Mitchell McClenaghan has been the team's leading wicket-taker with eight from eight games and will once again be their go-to man in their last clash of the season. While Qais Ahmad, Obed McCoy and Kesrick Williams have all claimed seven wickets with the ball and the Skipper will need them to grab some wickets upfront.
Expected Playing XI: Kieron Pollard (C), Darren Sammy, Kavem Hodge, Mitchell McClenaghan, Qais Ahmad, Kesrick Williams, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher, Rahkeem Cornwall and David Warner.