Andre Russell brought up the fastest fifty of the Caribbean Premier League history for Jamaica Tallawahs in the third match of the season against Saint Lucia Kings, at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts.
Russell smashed three fours and six sixes in his unbeaten 14-ball 50, striking at 357. Riding on this destructive knock, Jamaica piled 255/5, and then bowled Saint Lucia out for 135 in 17.3 overs to beat them by 120 runs.
But even before Russell came out to bat, Chadwick Walton (47 in 29 balls) and Kennar Lewis (48 in 21) gave Jamaica a blistering start. The pair added 81 in the Powerplay before Roston Chase gave Saint Lucia the much-needed breakthrough.
Jamaica middle order batters, featuring Haider Ali, Rovman Powell and Russell, did not disappoint after the openers built their foundation. Haider (45 in 32) and Powell (38 in 26) chipped in with useful contributions with urgency before Russell’s carnage came into the play.
Wahab Riaz returned 0-61 from three overs. Russell acquired 32 from the penultimate over, bowled by Wahab, and another 22 from the last, from Obed McCoy (3-52), to reach the landmark. Chase (2-33) was the only Saint Lucia bowler to go for under 10 an over.
Coming to chase, Rahkeem Cornwall hit 4, 6, 4 off the first three balls of the innings, from Migael Pretorius, before falling to the next.
Barring Tim David (56 in 28), who notched up his fifty in 23 balls on CPL debut, the Saint Lucia batters made little. Wahab (26 in 29) batted cautiously to avoid the Kings from gering bowled out, but that was about it.
With 4-32, Pretorius was the pick of the Jamaica bowlers, while Imran Khan bowled tightly for his 3-7.
Brief scores: Jamaica Tallawahs 255/5 in 20 overs (Russell 50*; McCoy 3-52) beat Saint Lucia Kings 135 in 17.3 overs (David 56; Pretorius 4-32) by 120 runs. Player of the Match: Andre Russell.