A spectacular opening partnership between Tim Seifert and Johnson Charles powered the St Lucia Kings to an impressive seven-wicket victory against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.
Sent in to bat, the Patriots scored a competitive 177 for three from their allocated 20 overs, thanks mainly to Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten half-century.
But Seifert smacked 68 off 45 balls, and Charles belted 47 from just 17 deliveries, inclusive of five fours and four sixes, as the Kings raced to 180 for three in 17 overs.
Charles hit Kyle Mayers for a six and two fours in the third over that went for 18 runs.
The pair was brutal on leg spinner Navin Bidaisee, hitting him for two sixes and two fours in the sixth over that leaked 21 runs, as the Kings reached 64 without loss after five overs.
Left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil was struck for two consecutive sixes by Charles, but got a breakthrough when he had him caught with the score on 85 for one in the seventh over.
Seifert then partnered with new batter Ackeem Auguste, adding 60 runs in just six overs, during which Seifert brought up his half-century off 35 balls.
Pacer Naseem Shah then dismissed Auguste for 29 off 20 balls to leave the score 145 for two in the 13th over as the Kings were well on their way to victory.
However, Seifert lost his wicket after smashing six fours and four sixes, but Roston Chase (15 not out) and Tim David (16 not out) took their side to victory with 18 balls to spare.
The win carried them to the top of the table on eight points from six games.
Earlier, the Patriots produced a good batting performance, as Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher put on 47 runs inside six overs for the first wicket, before Chase had Lewis caught for a run-a-ball 18.
Player of the Match Tabraiz Shamsi, who bagged 2-17 from his four overs, then accounted for Fletcher’s wicket after he scored 37 from 23 balls, to leave the Patriots 69 for two.
Rizwan and Kyle Mayers then added 71 runs for the third wicket. Rizwan finished on 60 not out off 41 balls, inclusive of four sixes and three fours, with the Patriots collecting 37 runs off the last three overs.
