St Lucia Kings edged past Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by three wickets in a rain-affected contest at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Friday. Matthew Forde produced a match-winning all-round performance, picking up four wickets and then contributing with the bat as Kings chased down a revised target under the DLS method.
Falcons Innings Ends Early as Rain Cuts Play Short
Falcons struggled throughout their innings after being asked to bat first, managing only 98 for 9 in 19 overs before rain forced an early end. Forde set the tone with the ball, dismissing Evin Lewis and Tim Robinson off consecutive deliveries in the second over and coming close to a hat-trick.
Rahkeem Cornwall attempted to rebuild the innings with a quickfire 26 off 17 balls, striking two fours and two sixes, but Forde returned to remove him at the end of the seventh over. Roston Chase then tightened the screws with a spell of four overs for just seven runs, taking two wickets along the way, while Joshua Bishop chipped in with two dismissals of his own.
Amir Jangoo held one end up with 23 runs before falling in the 18th over, and Alzarri Joseph’s unbeaten 16 from No. 10 lifted Falcons to a total that briefly looked competitive once the weather intervened.
Kings Chase Revised Target Amid Weather Interruptions
Rain reduced the match twice, first setting Kings a target of 84 runs from 15 overs before a second interruption trimmed it further to 52 from eight overs. The chase began poorly for the hosts, who slipped to 21 for 6 inside five overs as Joshua James and Shamar Springer shared four wickets between them and threatened to derail the innings entirely.
Andries Gous, Ackeem Auguste and Charith Asalanka all fell cheaply inside the powerplay, leaving Kings in serious danger of an upset defeat on home soil. The required run rate climbed steadily as wickets tumbled, putting the equation firmly in the visitors’ favor heading into the middle overs.
Forde’s Cameo and Late Hitting Seal the Win
Forde walked in with Kings still needing a rescue act and delivered exactly that, striking a four and a six off Springer either side of two wides before departing the very next ball for 11 off seven deliveries. His brief innings shifted the momentum just enough, and Shadley van Schalkwyk and Joshua Bishop finished the job from there.
Van Schalkwyk struck an unbeaten eight off three balls, including a six, while Bishop stayed not out on 12 from ten deliveries to guide Kings home with two balls to spare. The result lifted St Lucia Kings to the top of the CPL 2026 points table with two wins from three matches, while Falcons dropped to sixth position after a third defeat in as many outings. Forde’s contribution across both innings, four wickets and a crucial late cameo, earned him the Player of the Match.
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What’s Next
St Lucia Kings will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Barbados Tridents in the 9th match of CPL 2026 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Monday, August 17, aiming to strengthen their position at the top of the points table.
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, meanwhile, will get a break before their next assignment, returning to action against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 12th match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in North Sound on Friday, August 21, as they search for their first win of the tournament.
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