Aaron Jones and Roston Chase Lead Saint Lucia Kings to First CPL Title
Aaron Jones of the USA played a pivotal role in securing the Saint Lucia Kings’ maiden Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title, scoring an unbeaten 48 runs off 31 balls. The Kings triumphed over the Guyana Amazon Warriors by six wickets in the final held at Providence Stadium, marking a significant achievement for the franchise.
This victory made Saint Lucia the fifth team to win the CPL, finally breaking their streak as the only original franchise without a title.
Chasing a modest target of 139, the Kings faced early trouble, collapsing to 51 for 4 on a challenging pitch. However, Jones ignited a turnaround with an explosive display of power hitting. The Warriors’ spinners, particularly Imran Tahir and Gudakesh Motie, had kept the Kings in check, leading to a tense atmosphere in the packed stadium.
Initially, Jones struggled, scoring just 10 runs off 19 balls, prompting Daren Sammy to consider retiring him out. Yet, he soon turned the game around, scoring 38 runs off just 12 balls. With valuable support from Roston Chase, who was also battling illness, the duo formed an unbroken partnership of 88 runs that guided the Kings to victory with two balls to spare, silencing the home crowd that had cheered for Guyana.
Chase’s calm demeanor mirrored Marlon Samuels’ big-match performances for West Indies, proving crucial in the tense final moments. His contributions throughout the season solidified his reputation as a key player for the Kings, especially after earning a Cricket West Indies central contract earlier that week.
Before the Kings’ remarkable comeback, the match seemed to favor Guyana, with the Warriors’ spin attack putting immense pressure on the batting side. Saint Lucia’s bowlers had initially done well, limiting Guyana to 102 for 7 after 18 overs, but the Warriors managed to score 36 runs in the final two overs, ending with a total of 138.
Noor Ahmad was the standout bowler for the Kings, claiming three wickets in the final and earning the Player of the Series title for his impressive performance throughout the tournament, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets at an excellent economy rate of 6.19.
