Barbados Tridents Use Late Innings Batting to Defeat St. Lucia Kings

Sunday night in the 2026 CPL returned to Gros Islet and the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia. Barbados Tridents haven’t played since defeating Jamaica Kingsmen 5 days ago and are looking to continue their winning start. St. Lucia Kings are looking to clean up the mistakes they made with the bat Friday night in their drama filled victory in sweeping the Falcons.

The match would be decided by the late innings batting from both sides. It would be the 79 run partnership between Sherfane Rutherford and Rivaldo Clarke that would do enough to see the Barbados Tridents start their campaign with consecutive wins, defeating St. Lucia Kings by 9 runs.

Sherfane Rutherford Half Century Gets Barbados Tridents to 177-5

After St. Lucia Kings won the toss they sent Barbados Tridents into bat. Right as the countdown clock hit 0 the rains came blowing down the ground causing a 80 minute delay, reducing the contest at the time the first ball was bowled to 18 overs a side.

Matthew Forde would strike again early in the power play, getting Zachary Carter wicket on an edge to Jewel Andrew. Once Quinton de Kock entered the fray the power play began in earnest for the Tridents. By the time De Kock went 3 balls after the power play ended in the 6th over, the Tridents were 63-2. 4 boundaries and 5 maxes were hit in the 5.2 overs of the reduced overs power play.

Roston Chase and Maheesh Theekshana would keep the run rate at bay during the middle overs, only 2 of the middle 8 overs going for over 10 runs. Chase would pick up the wicket of Brandon King in the 10th over, a shot to long off not deep enough allowing Khari Campbell to make the catch. Poor fielding would come into play during this innings as 2 misjudged catches should have been wickets, King flat out dropped when he was on 20 by Amari Goodridge. King would pick up another 19 runs before going back to the bench.

As the run rate was dipping towards 8, Sherfane Rutherford would find form. While he was patient early in his innings, boundaries were still being found. Going into the final 4 overs at 119-3 Rutherford would up the pressure. 2 fours would compliment the 4 maximums from Rutherford as he completed his 2nd CPL half century, 8th overall in the CPL.

Shadley van Schalkwyk would bowl 3 of the last 5 overs and only give up double digits once, a last over that also saw van Schalkwyk pick up his first 2 CPL wickets. Rutherford would be the first wicket of the final over, going to Ackeem Auguste at deep cover, his innings ending on 61. Rivaldo Clarke’s innings never got into full flow, and would be gone 2 deliveries later to Charith Asalanka. The problem would be the other 2 overs in the final 5 going for 39, Matthew Forde nor Khari Campbell able to stem the tide of runs.

Thanks to the innings of King and Rutherford, Barbados Tridents would end 177-5 from their 18 overs, St. Lucia Kings needing close to 10 an over, 178 to win.

Ackeem Auguste Half Century Not Enough for Kings

Before the innings could get underway, there was a discussion surrounding Brandon King not coming to the field, the Tridents finally convincing all involved the injury was a fresh injury. Considering this is the 2nd game in a row King hasn’t fielded in the chase he shouldn’t play in their next contest.

Once the chase did begin, Brandon King and Zachary Carter did well to keep the run rate required within reach. Johann Jeremiah would be the first wicket to fall, Mujeeb Ur Rahman getting him to fly out to short third to end on 11. Ackeem Auguste would enter the fray and end that 5th over with 12 runs, a signal of his intent for the innings.

With the 5.2 over power play ending 53-1, Roston Chase wouldn’t finish the 6th over at the crease, Gudakesh Motie bowling him when Chase mistimed a shot he was sure going for 6. With Chase’s innings ended on 34 Jewel Andrew would step to the crease. Andrew wouldn’t last long, having to retire hurt after injuring himself running a single in the 8th over.

When Charith Asalanka entered the crease, he and Auguste looked to match the first innings partnership of Rivaldo Clarke and Sherfane Rutherford. Over the next 5 overs they looked well on their way to doing so. While Asalanka didn’t do much in the partnership, rotating to Auguste was enough. The 12th over would see Ackeem Auguste pick up his 3rd CPL 50 from consecutive maxes, 55 from 28 deliveries.

Mujeeb would strike an over later to break up the 55 run partnership, getting Asalanka out at deep midwicket, the irony not lost that it was Rutherford making the catch. Going into the final 5 the Kings were 8 runs ahead of where the Tridents were at that stage at 121-3.

Even ahead of where the Tridents were, the Kings were near 2 runs a ball territory. With the wicket of Asalanka gone Auguste looked to press for additional runs, and it cost him in the 14th over when he was clean bowled by by Motie. With Auguste gone for 63 the game felt over, and the runs showed it.

Even with Auguste’s wicket gone, the Kings were 10 runs ahead of the Tridents on the scoring worm. Where the Tridents scored 58 runs from the final 4 overs, the Kings only picked up 39. Mujeeb’s and Motie’s last overs went for only 3 runs a piece, Motie getting Shadley van Schalkwyk’s wicket in the process. Mujeeb would end 2-27 in his 4 overs bowled, Motie finished 3-22 from his 3.

The only positive late for the Kings would be the cameo of Amari Goodridge. On debut, he would put up a flashy 13 from 5 deliveries. By then it was too late. Despite a 19 run final over, it was never going to be enough to overcome the damage done at the start of the late overs.