Rovman Powell, bowlers power Jamaica Tallawahs to top position

Tallawahs rode on Rovman Powell's 37-ball 64, Johnson Charles' 24-ball 34 and a blistering cameo of 32 off just 13 balls by David Miller to post 204/5 after winning the toss and batting first. In reply, Stars were restricted to 183/8 in their 20 overs, thanks to some economical bowling by Tallawahs captain Andre Russell (2/15) and Oshane Thomas (2/27).

Tallawahs openers Glenn Phillips and Charles added 34 runs in 3.4 overs before Kesrick Williams got Phillips caught by David Warner. No.3 Kennar Lewis and Charles took Tallawahs past 50 and after Charles was dismissed by Qais Ahmed, Lewis combined with Powell to add 100 runs in 10 overs.

Powell hit two fours and five sixes in his innings. Miller then ensured that his team crossed the 200-run mark by hitting three sixes and two fours in his 13-ball blitzkrieg.

Williams finished with 3/34 off his four overs but could not find much support from other bowlers. Stars' strike bowler Mitchell McClenaghan returned wicket-less from four overs and conceded 43 runs.

Stars struggled early in their innings and were 52/3 in the eighth over before a troika of 40s – 42 off 26 by David Warner, 46 off 27 by captain Kieron Pollard and 45 off 26 by Lendl Simmons – kept them in the hunt.

However, twin strikes by Russell, who removed both Pollard as well as Darren Sammy in the 17th and 19th overs respectively, and the run-out of Simmons in the final over, meant that Stars choked towards the end of their chase.

Player of the Match Powell, who also picked up a wicket, was pleased with his performance. "Feeling good. I have been hitting the ball well in the nets. Got an opportunity to score runs today and I did that," he said after the match.

Powell's captain Russell was no less happy. "We have been struggling for the last three games but I always believed in ourselves, believed in our guys," Russell said, referring to the Tallawahs' last three encounters where they lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents.

"We have a long batting (so) guys like Rovman got the chance tonight. We got to see how good Miller is. The ball was coming on and getting 200 on the board was a good effort."

Stars captain Pollard said losing wickets in the Powerplay hurt his team's chances. "We could have bowled a bit better I feel. I still think that 200 was gettable on this track. Wickets in the Powerplay pushed us back."

Stars were affected by the relatively indifferent performance by their bowlers, as in addition to McClenaghan, three more bowlers, including Pollard himself, went for more than 10 runs per over. Pollard gave away 38 in his three and returned wicket-less while Qais Ahmed returned 1/21 from two.

"You have different bowlers, you try different options. You back your more experienced bowlers to do the job for you but it didn't work out for us today," Pollard said. "Hopefully we win a few games and let's see where it takes us."