Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 19/Sep 03:01

Nicky P delights in eliminator victory

THE EDITOR: It was a joy to watch the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) cricket match between Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) and the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on September 16 – not only because TKR won, but more so due to the calculated manner of play by TKR. Accolades must go to Saurabh Netravalkar for his superb bowling, taking three wickets for 23 runs in a game where the fielding was generally good, restricting the opposition to a respectable 166. However, the real excitement came with TKR’s batting prowess. Colin Munro was caught out for 14 runs with the score at 25. TKR was chasing 167 runs for victory in the eliminator, and I was cautiously optimistic when the celebrated Nicholas Pooran walked to the wicket. Despite his obvious skill, Pooran is occasionally plagued by inconsistency, cracking scintillating sixes and fours in one match then scoring duck in the next, hence my anxiety when he faced the first ball. On this occasion, however, TKR fans were delighted to see a side of Nicky P that oozed a level of clinical maturity that saw him stay the course to reach the target runs. His mission was not about simply trying to banish every ball; he was measured and focused, executing drives and defensive shots for more difficult balls, while punishing poor deliveries to the maximum. It was a masterful performance by Pooran, yielding 90 runs that guaranteed him the prestigious man-of-the-match award. Kudos also to batsman Alex Hales for completing a historic unbeaten 143-run partnership with captain Pooran. But while TKR fans look forward to our boys bringing home the title after a five-year hiatus, there are aspects of CPL cricket that deserve analysis. In the TKR-Falcons game, one umpire signalled Pooran “out” by LBW twice – decisions that were reversed after the TV umpire revealed otherwise. While these inaccuracies angered Pooran to the point of emotional venting, he rightfully apologised to the umpire at the end of the game, solidifying the fact that emotional control followed by apology is a component of professionalism and builds character. Incorrect LBW decisions appear to be on the rise, since the issue was also evident in a match involving the Guyana Warriors where several not-out decisions for LBW were overturned after consulting with the TV umpire. Prudence now dictates that the CPL board should make it mandatory for LBW appeals and related out and not-out decisions to be referred to the TV umpire. Another aspect of the game where the players’ mindset is paramount to success involves winning the toss and which team bats first. Historically, in the CPL, teams that win the toss have shown a strong preference for bowling first, though it varies slightly by the season and venue. Those teams choose to bowl about 60 per cent of the time, with the main reasons being dew, pitch conditions and because chasing a target in T20 appears to give an advantage. Statistics indicate that teams bowling first win about 53 per cent of the time. So, one can argue that the luck of winning the toss is instrumental in a small way in winning CPL matches, including the final. Given the small variance, players who perceive being at a disadvantage by batting first should rethink their position and set ambitious personal goals. If every player on a team focuses hard enough to achieve over 50 runs in a game, the outcome should be favourable whether batting or bowling first. DEXTER RIGSBY Mt Lambert The post Nicky P delights in eliminator victory appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.