The Barbados Royals delivered a commanding performance at Kensington Oval on Saturday night, securing a 32-run victory over defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors.
This emphatic win propelled the Royals to the top of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) standings, overtaking their opponents in the process.
The foundation of this triumph was laid by Quinton de Kock, whose brilliant knock of 115 from 68 balls lit up the Oval and had the sold-out crowd in raptures. There was a groundswell of adulation for his innings as the sea of bright pink shirts swooned at his array of exquisite strokes, which were pivotal in the Royals posting an imposing total of 205-6.
The South African wicketkeeper-batsman’s century, brought up in 60 balls, made him the top run-scorer in the competition so far, with 308 runs at an impressive average of 77. It also set a new record for the highest-ever score by a Barbados Royals player, surpassing Jonathan Carter’s 111 not out in 2014.
The Royals’ aggressive batting was backed by a disciplined bowling display, led by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. His three wickets proved crucial in consigning the visitors to their first defeat of the season, as the previously unbeaten Amazon Warriors were restricted to 173-5.
Reflecting on his innings, de Kock acknowledged the early challenges he faced: “It just happened. My partner took control of the powerplay. I found it tough, he didn’t. He took the pressure off me.” His partner, Kadeem Alleyne, who replaced Rahkeem Cornwall in the line-up, played an explosive cameo, scoring 22 off just 9 balls. His two towering sixes, including one off Moeen Ali’s debut CPL over, gave the Royals the early momentum they needed.
Shamar Joseph and Dwaine Pretorius led the Warriors’ bowling attack, but they had little answer to de Kock’s onslaught. Even a painful blow to the chest region from Joseph couldn’t halt the South African, who reached his fifty in 34 balls before accelerating to his century.
Jason Holder added a final flourish to the innings, smashing three consecutive sixes off Keemo Paul in the penultimate over. The all-rounder took that confidence into the second innings when he dismissed Warriors’ opener Azam Khan with his first ball, setting the tone for the Royals’ defence.
The Amazon Warriors struggled from the start in their chase. Maharaj’s clever variations stifled their progress, and when Tim Robinson was stumped trying to lift the scoring rate, the pressure mounted. Shimron Hetmyer briefly revived their hopes, hitting consecutive sixes off Maharaj, but rain interrupted his momentum. After the resumption, Hetmyer managed another six before falling to Maharaj, his aggressive approach proving his downfall.
Captain Shai Hope played a graceful innings, scoring 40 with two boundaries and two sixes, but his efforts, alongside Moeen Ali’s 33 and Keemo Paul’s late 30, were not enough to overhaul the Royals’ total.
Reflecting on the loss, Hope pointed to the absence of key bowler Imran Tahir as a setback but stressed the need for better execution: “We got a bit carried away at the end and gave away 25-30 runs too much. We need to understand the conditions; it was difficult to hit when the ball gripped. It wasn’t the greatest game, and we need to find ways to get wickets, especially with Imran Tahir being a big loss for us.”
The Barbadian was grateful for the massive support from the Guyanese contingent though, saying: “Fans always support us, I am sure if we continue what we do, they’ll come out in numbers in Guyana.”
Royals’ captain Rovman Powell was full of praise for his team, noting the collective effort. “The game was done before the final over. We did a fantastic job to restrict a powerful team to 170 with a wet outfield.” When questioned about the difference in batting displays across the two days, the Jamaican responded: “It is a case of us saying that 150-160 runs will not win the game. Someone in the top order has to bat deep, and de Kock is valuable in that regard as an experienced left-hander at the top of the order. Long may that (run of form) continue. Credit to the team for looking good in all areas.”
With this victory, the Royals now sit at the top of the CPL table with a 4-1 record. They will face the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on Tuesday to close out their home leg of the season.
Summarised Scores
Barbados Royals 205-6 (Quinton de Kock 115, Jason Holder 28; Raymond Reifer 3-50, Dwaine Pretorius 2-27)
Guyana Amazon Warriors 173-5 (Shai Hope 40, Moeen Ali 33; Keshav Maharaj 3-42, Jason Holder 2-32)
Result: Barbados Royals won by 32 runs
(Jonteau Coppin)
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