Andre Russell went off, blasting 62 off 27 balls to help Jamaica Tallawahs defeat T&T Red Steel by 4-wickets in the CPL
By Patrick R. Anderson
Andre Russell has done it again.
For the second time this season, the West Indies all rounder had to provide the match winning knock to keep the Limacol CPL T20 Champions, Jamaica Tallawahs, alive.
In a desperate play-off for a berth in Thursday's semi-final, The Tallawahs faced off against Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel on Wednesday at Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts.
Taking first strike, The T&T Red Steel recovered from 36-3 in the 6th over and scored what appeared to be a match winning total of 155-6 off 20-overs, thanks to the brilliance of Ross Taylor 70 and Darren Bravo 33, as the two put on a 110 run 4th wicket partnership. It seemed to take the wind out of the Tallawahs' sails. David Bernard Jr claimed 3-19, Rusty Theron 2-32 and Andre Russell 1-37.
However, when the Tallawahs went in chase, they suffered a huge early setback and a psychological blow, when their captain, "The Big Hurt," Chris Gayle, was dismissed cheaply for 1 at 5-1.
The wickets continued to tumble leaving the Tallawahs on 76-6 after 13 overs, and needing 80 runs off 42 balls ( 7 overs) to win. It seemed insurmountable. But not to Andre Russell who used to open the batting in schoolboy cricket.
Russell simply went berserk.
He bludgeoned 62 runs off 27 deliveries including some dropped catches as the gods smiled on him.
Russell and a patient Rusty Theron put on 82 runs for the 7th wicket off only 37 balls, with the last 5-overs yielding a rich 56 runs for the Tallawahs, including five boundaries and three sixes.
Theron who was unbeaten on 18 off 13 balls playing the sheet anchor role, emerged from his shell to blast the winning runs with two balls to spare, powering a six off Dwayne Bravo over deep extra cover. Nkrumah Bonner made 39 against Sulieman Benn 3-27.
Jamaica Tallawahs face Guyana Amazon Warriors in the semi-final on Thursday at Warner Park, with the winner set to meet Barbados Tridents in the grand final on Saturday, again at Warner Park.
Thursday's semi-final can be seen LIVE exclusively on Television Jamaica, TVJ, starting at 3p.m. HITZ92FM will also have ball by ball commentary.
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