2017 CPL bowls off today

The Knight Riders left Trinidad on Wednesday for the match, before the team returns home for five matches at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair, between Monday and August 14.

In a recent interview with Newsday, TKR coach Simon Katich, expressed his belief in the team’s quality spin attack which will play a key role, but also stated the team’s top order must perform for TKR to have a successful run in the tournament.

Team manager, Colin Borde believes the squad depth will be pivotal when the team plays the following five matches in eight days. The St Lucia Stars had their most successful season last year, and much of that was as a result of Johnson Charles’ impressive season with the bat.

In an interview on CLPT20’s website, when Charles was asked about what is required for the Stars to go all the way this year, he was confident by stating, “All we have to do now is maintain and improve on our performances. It is going to take a lot of work because all teams are coming after us. It is a hard competition, so we just have to maintain and give our all.” Charles also expressed in the interview, “It will take a lot of hard work because every batsman is coming out there to perform and get the most runs.” The two sides last met in an eliminator match where TKR emerged victorious by nine wickets with nine balls remaining.

Brendon McCullum struck an unbeaten 49 runs and Ronsford Beaton took three wickets for 23 runs as TKR progressed to the next round.

Squads - TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwyane Bravo (captain), Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Hashim Alma, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Ronsford Beaton, Kevon Cooper, Nikita Miller, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Javon Searles, William Perkins, Hamza Tariq, Mehidy Hassan Miraz.

ST LUCIA STARS: Darren Sammy (captain), Shane Watson, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jerome Taylor, Kamran Akmal, Marlon Samuels, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kyle Mayers, Shane Shillingford, Eddie Lee, Keddy Lesporis, Sunil Ambris, Obed McCoy, Timil Patel, Jesse Ryder, Mitchell McClenaghan.