David Warner’s unbeaten 72 was in vain as his St Lucia Stars lost to the Trinbago Knight Riders by five wickets thanks to a 94-run masterclass from Darren Bravo.
Warner’s return to cricket after the ball-tampering fiasco in March has been rocky, to say the least.
His ban from playing cricket in his home country and the IPL saw him search for game time in the Canada T20 Global League and the CPL.
He managed just one half-century from eight matches in Canada and had a difficult start in his first three games in the CPL, scoring 27 runs in three innings. But he found a relieving knock on Thursday.
Warner celebrated his half-century by raising his bat with a smile and wave towards his wife and daughter supporting him from the stands.
.@davidwarner31 dished up something in the @CPL on Friday that has long been missing; a smile.
MORE: https://t.co/x85jghlwlt pic.twitter.com/6Brea4BSh7
— FOX SPORTS Cricket (@FOXCricketLive) August 17, 2018
He helped set up his team’s 212-run total by smashing 72 off 55 balls (4×4; 3×6; S/R 130.90) in a 79-run partnership with Rahkeem Cornwall (53 off 29 balls; 2×4; 5×6; S/R 182.75) and an 84-run partnership with Kieran Pollard (65 off 23 balls; 1×4; 7×6; 282.60).
The Stars started off well by knocking the Knight Riders two down with 20 on the board. Cornwell picked up the wickets of the dangerous Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine in his first two overs.
A 51-run partnership between Brendon McCullum and Colin Munro (25) lifted the Knight Riders to 71 before Munro was taken out by Pollard, both all-rounders backing up their exquisite batting performance.
But McCullum continued his dominance and was joined by Bravo as the pair amassed 137 for the fourth wicket to lift their side to 208 with two overs to spare.
The former New Zealand skipper scored a 42-ball 68 (3×4; 6×6; S/R 161.90) before losing his wicket to Mitchell McClenaghan (2-21).
Bravo’s string of sixes brought his side back to life. After his first six in the 15th over, the Windies big-hitter smashed five sixes in the 16th over and four more in the 18th.
Despite finishing on 94 off 36 balls (6×4; 10×6; S/R 261), the Knights still needed a six off the second-last ball from Denesh Ramdin to seal a five-wicket win with a ball to spare.
WHAT A FINISH!!! Bravo runs riot and Ramdin hits winning 6 off the 2nd last ball. #SLSvTKR #CPL18 #BiggestPartyInSport pic.twitter.com/DRzrXom1fH
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 17, 2018
Photo: Randy Brooks/ CPL T20/Getty Images
