The last Caribbean venue to be used for the Caribbean Premier League is St Lucia but the competition puts that right on Thursday when the first match on the island for the season takes place as the St Lucia Zouks take on the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
These two sides go into the match filling the bottom two places in the table but St Lucia have so many games in hand that their destiny is still in their own hands unlike St Kitts and Nevis who now need a miracle to have any chance of qualifying.
St Lucia Zouks
St Lucia have only won one of their first four matches in the tournament so they need to make full use of these four home games they have coming up especially given that they face Jamaica twice in America to finish the round robin stage.
St Lucia’s top order hasn’t really got going for them in this tournament which is strange because in the tri-nations Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher were in excellent form for the West Indies. If they can fire the side into life at the top there is more than enough below them to ride the platform and create daunting totals.
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots
Who knows where to start with the Patriots! A bad season got worse against Jamaica when they were given a brutal beating and that pretty much ended any hope of them making it into knockout stage but with three games left including two aimed at enhancing the game in America they can’t just wind it in for the season.
In fairness their bowling attack has been ok at times but they just haven’t been able to get going with the bat. You’d have to say they’ve been unlucky at times. They have had some shocking decisions go against them but that isn’t an excuse really. If they can find some form with the bat now they have no pressure on them they could yet spoil some parties.
Betting
St Kitts and Nevis will need to find some form with the bat because the wicket at Beausejour or the Darren Sammy National Stadium as it now is, is always very good for batting and with the boundaries pretty short we should be in for some entertaining cricket over the coming week.
It is hard to see past St Lucia Zouks here. St Kitts and Nevis aren’t having a good season and the Zouks squad was built for this wicket. I expect them to show just how well suited to it they are and cruise into an opening win on their home ground.
Tips
WON – Back St Lucia Zouks to beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Ladbrokes
Back them here:
