CPL 2017: Five talking points from the first week

#3.Shadab and Javon Searles keep calm to steer Riders home

Shadab Khan did well to consolidate for the Trinbago Knight Riders

A match that was dominated by the spinners was won by a patient batting display of Shadab Khan and Javon Searles. The duo kept calm and batted with maturity to steer their team home from a tricky situation.

On a pitch that was the best friend of the spinners, St. Lucia Stars managed to get only 118 runs in their 19 overs. The spin trio of Shadab Khan, Kharry Pierre, and Sunil Narine kept the lid on the Stars' batsmen and choked them throughout the 20 overs.

However, the target of below six runs per over was far from a cakewalk for the Trinbago Knight Riders who were torn apart by Shane Shillingford's spin bowling.

The power hitters from Riders kept on playing their strokes even on the unsupporting pitch and scored 52 runs in the powerplay. But in the process, they also lost wickets and before ten overs they were six down.

The required rate had come down but wickets were the cause of concern for the Riders and this was when Shadab Khan took the center-stage. He tagged with Javon Searles and batted with patience.

The pair scored their first boundary on the 27th ball of their partnership but kept the required run-rate under check by rotating the strike.

After 15 overs, Riders reached to 104 and needed 15 more runs to win. Searles who was silent till that point slammed McClenaghan for two back-to-back sixes on the first two balls of the 16th over and one ball later edged one four to the third man region to finish off the chase.