New Delhi:
The Caribbean Premier League 2019 clash between Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks at Sabina Park, Kingston saw a scary moment involving Andre Russell. In the 14th over of the Jamaica Tallawahs innings, Hardus Viljoen was bowling to Andre Russell. Viljoen's fifth delivery was a short ball and he cramped Russell for room as the batsman attempted the pull. However, he missed and was hit just near the right ear. The medics rushed out and although Russell was standing, he was wobbly. He walked slowly but he stopped and concern rose. Russell was stretchered off the ground and fans awaited updates.
In a statement issued and available on the ICC's official website, officials later revealed that Russell had been taken to the hospital for a scan. Once given the all clear, he went back to the team hotel to rest and recover.
The news was a welcome relief for the fans and it summed up a bad day for Jamaica Tallwahs, who were pegged back by Chris Gayle's cheap dismissal and an amazing blitz from the six foot five 140 kg giant Rahkeem Cornwall. St Lucia Zouks chose to field and they struck immediately when Obed McCoy sent back Gayle for a first ball duck. It needed an aggressive 22-ball 44 from Rovman Powell and a solid 58 from Glenn Phillips to help Jamaica Tallawahs end on 170/5.
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In response, Andre Fletcher and Rahkeem Cornwall decimated the Tallawahs bowling. Fletcher struck a six off Jerome Taylor in the third over while Cornwall hammered two sixes in the same over. Fletcher was dropped by Oshane Thomas off Derval Green and Cornwall made Tallwahs pay with a four and a six. Cornwall also benefited from a life as he was dropped on 36 by Chadwick Walton. The tall all-rounder got to his third CPL fifty with two sixes off George Worker and the carnage continued with a four and two more sixes off Green.
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Shamar Springer ended the 111-run opening stand in the ninth over when he got rid of Cornwall for a brilliant 75 off 30 balls and the knock included four boundaries and eight sixes. However, St Lucia Zouks continued the onslaught with Colin de Grandhomme hammered two fours and one six.
Oshane Thomas gave Jamaica Tallawahs some hope as he took two wickets in the 16th over but Fletcher held firm and Thisara Perera sealed the deal with a big six as St Lucia Zouks secured their first win in the 2019 edition of the tournament. However, for both teams, there was relief as Russell was declared fit but his participation for the Tallawahs in their next game against Trinbago Knight Riders is in doubt.
