RBCPL24:  Aaron Jones steps up as SLK deny defending champions GAW the double

The deed is done. The defending champions have been defeated. By six wickets.

And on their third attempt—having repeatedly discussed the distinct possibility of a double Lucian celebration this year after Julien Alfred’s sprint gold in Paris in the summer—the Saint Lucia Kings finally have their first title.

On Sunday evening in the final of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Providence, destructive Johnson Charles didn’t deliver. Nor did his partner in crime, Kings’ skipper Faf du Plessis.

Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmeyer did not turn up for the Warriors either. The player who turned up for GAW was the Player-of-the-Match in the 2023 final, Dwaine Pretorius. He scored 25 off 12 balls at the death and bowled Tim Seifert in the tenth over to give his team the psychological advantage.

But the decisive contribution came from SLK’s Aaron Jones.

Jones floundered around for his first 19 balls, getting only 10. He had come in with the score reading 51 for 4 and had allowed the required run-rate to climb steadily. After the 15th over, SLK coach Daren Sammy read him the riot act. By proxy.

Moeen Ali came on to bowl the 16th over.

Moeen Ali went. For 27.

And Jones and Roston Chase, partnering with him for the fifth wicket, did not take their foot off the pedal. They took 27 off the 16th, 20 off the 17th and 18 off the 18th to overhaul the 138 that GAW had posted.

Jones raced to 48. Off 31 balls. Do the math: from 10 off 19 to 48 off 31. That’s 38 off 12.

They say you can’t beat a champion on points. You have to knock him out. Jones did.

Confident of an outcome that would boost their morale, the thousands of red, green and gold-clad fans were left disappointed.  Energetic and enthusiastic as per usual, they had come in in droves early in the evening, their heads and their hopes high, victory on the cards.

But once du Plessis opted to let their batsmen chase, the SLK bowlers gave nothing away. Nor did the Kings’ captain—his fields tight, his bowling options very carefully thought out.

GAW hopes were dented.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was gone in a wink. Shai Hope too went early. As did Shimron Hetmyer. And they only got to 27 for 1 in the powerplay. And to 49 for 3 at the water break.

But from 82 for 5 with five overs left, helped by a couple of dropped catches, Pretorius and Romario Shepherd took 15 and 21 respectively off the last two overs.

Two short of 140 on the board ignited new hope.

SLK dashed those hopes.

And where Warrior Nation expected to find themselves in an ebullient, celebratory ambience, there was only stony, sullen silence…

…from those who troubled to stay on to the bitter, bitter end.

Summarised scores

Toss: Saint Lucia Kings

Guyana Amazon Warriors: 138 for 8 (20 overs) Dwaine Pretorius 25, Shai Hope 22, Noor Ahmad 3/19, Roston Chase 1/13

Saint Lucia Kings: 139 for 4 (18.1 overs) Aaron Jones 48*, Roston Chase 39*, Faf du Plessis 21; Kevin Sinclair 1/5, Dwaine Pretorius 1/25

Man-of-the-Match: Roston Chase

Emerging Player of the Tournament: Jewel Andrew

Player-of-the-Tournament: Noor Ahmad

Result: Saint Lucia Kings win by 6 wickets

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