The Saint Lucia Kings return to action at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground this evening for their third contest at home, this time against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, having won one and lost two of their CPL home leg matches.
The Kings come to tonight’s game after a weekend of conflicting fortunes.
Friday’s encounter was heavily affected by rain and reduced to an eight-over chase. After the Falcons made 98 for nine from their 19 overs, the Kings were set a revised target of 52 under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
The shortened chase went down to the wire with the Kings slipping to 33 for 7. They did, however, eventually reach 54 for seven with two balls remaining to secure a three-wicket victory.
Just two days later, the Kings unfortunately proved incapable of repeating that success against the Barbados Tridents.
After rain reduced Sunday’s match to 18 overs per side, the Tridents posted 177 for five, powered by Sherfane Rutherford’s 61 from 31 balls. The Kings’ chase initially received impetus from captain Roston Chase, who struck 34 from 21 deliveries, including four fours and two sixes.
The match also saw the return to form of young Saint Lucian Ackeem Auguste who demonstrated yet again his ability to turn the tides of a T20 match.
The young left-hander produced his most commanding innings of the home campaign after an apparent dry spell this tournament, smashing 63 from 34 balls, including six sixes and three fours. He attacked the Barbados bowling at a crucial stage of the chase and briefly put the Kings in position to challenge the target.
Barbados’ spinners eventually regained control. Gudakesh Motie claimed three wickets, including the key dismissal of Chase, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman took two. The Kings ended on 168 for seven, nine runs short of the Tridents’ total.
The Kings now have little time to dwell on the defeat as they prepare for the Amazon Warriors. Auguste’s form could be important again against the Amazon Warriors, particularly as the Kings seek greater consistency from their batting unit. The Saint Lucian top-order batter has also been among the players highlighted as one to watch ahead of the fixture.
The match is also significant for the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, which will host its 54th CPL fixture. The stadium has become a familiar stage for Caribbean Premier League cricket and a key part of the Saint Lucia franchise’s home identity.
Of the 46 CPL matches played at the ground by the Saint Lucia franchise, the Kings have won 19, lost 23 and recorded four no-results.
That home record gives the Kings another incentive to produce a strong performance against Guyana.
For Chase, the challenge will be to marshal a side that has already shown resilience this season, while Auguste will enter the contest with confidence after his stellar performance against Barbados.
With rain having shortened both of the Kings’ weekend matches, the home side will also be hoping for uninterrupted conditions tonight.
Everything is therefore in place for an important home fixture: a milestone for the DSCG, a captain looking to lead from the front, a local youngster coming off a blistering innings and a Kings side eager to turn Sunday’s narrow defeat into a winning response.
The Kings will be looking to make the 54th match at the DSCG one worth remembering.