It took until Match 25 for CPL to have its first no result, a remarkable run of luck and expert ground management considering the venue limitations this season and the weather. Unfortunately for fans of Associate players, this game happened to include Sandeep Lamichhane and the Jamaica Tallawahs.
In the meantime, Ali Khan and the rest of the Associate representation have not featured, so it’s been a few days since our last Associate Watch.
Jamaica’s point gained from the No Result helped guarantee their place in the four team playoff after Barbados Tridents lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors the next day. With a win on Day 14, Jamaica would still have an outside chance to knock off St Lucia for 3rd place. Barbados had different things in mind.
After helping the Tridents to a 77-2 start over the first eight overs, Jason Holder and Jonathan Carter had Barbados looking confident to get over the line. Sandeep Lamichhane entered the attack and hoped to put on the brakes. Bowling over the stumps to the lefty Carter, Sandy started with a pair of full googlies, paddle swept and reverse swept for two runs off of each of the first two balls. On the third ball, Carter pulled a shorter delivery for a single to square, bringing the hot man Holder on strike. A short and straighter delivery was smacked back to mid on for a single. Carter followed with another single, and Holder ended legging out a double to give Jamaica 9 runs on the over, scoring on every ball.
Continuing in the 11th over, Lamichhane started better, with a leggy to Holder pitching at leg and defended well on the front foot for a dot. Similar delivery on the second ball, but this time Holder stepped back deep and poked it through mid on again to get off strike. A bit quicker on the third delivery to Carter, this time outside leg stump, but the batsman dabs it back and the ball rolls slowly in the grass for an easy single. On the fourth delivery, with Holder back on strike, Sandy delivered a gorgeous full googly which turned sharply beating Holders bat and just missing leg stump. A full delivery edged to point with the fielder at the ropes brought the lefty back on strike for the final ball of the over. Staying with his googly against the lefty, Sandy bowled another beauty, this time pitching at middle and off and zipping past the extended bat of the defending Carter. Two runs from the over, and Sandy is threatening.
After a 12-run 12th over against Mujeeb, the Tridents were back on track 103-2. Sandy remained in the attack, as usual. First ball of the over from Sandy was nearly identical to his prior ball to Carter, and this time the lefty went for the sweep, top edging back over the bowler’s head and landing safely in no man’s land for an easy pair. Second ball, Sandy delivers short and wide and Carter hits it through the vacant covers for a single. A wide ball behind Holder was left alone, but the very next delivery was full, on the pads, breaking towards leg stump and missed by the outstretched and defending Holder. Judged in line with the stumps, the umpire’s finger went up, and the mystery man got his big wicket, Holder beaten by the googly, LBW for 69 off 41. Three runs off of the next two balls from new batsman Mitchell Santner, and the final ball was cut to backward point by Carter for a dot. 5 runs and a huge wicket in the over for Sandeep.
During the eventful over, Alex Jordan interviewed Ryan Persaud, Tallawah’s ICC Americas pick, who had yet to see game time in the tournament. The young former USA U-19 leggy told Jordan that he’s now working in Hollywood, acting and producing films. Persaud expressed understanding that the team’s must-win situation made it difficult to rest any of the Tallawah’s best eleven, and also teased at the possibility that there’s a cricket related film project in the works.
Back to the action, and Barbados answered Jamaica’s big over with a big one themselves, scoring 13 in the 14th. Sandeep’s first ball of the 15th was met with similar treatment, smashed to long on by Mitch Santner for a big six. Singles and doubles would follow, and Sandy ended the over allowing 10 runs, and finishing 4-26-1, visibly frustrated that he was unable to pull the game back in reach for Jamaica. Barbados would make up the remaining 30 run deficit with 4 balls to spare, winning by 7 wickets.
Houston resident and former Pakistan U-19 Shayan Jahangir made his debut in the matchup for Barbados, so there was a chance for an Associate vs Associate matchup between him and Lamichhane. Sadly, the batsman wasn’t needed, as Barbados lost only 3 wickets in the innings.
One day remains for the round robin portion of the tournament, and with the playoff matchups set in stone we may see more Associate players in action on Day 15.
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