All-round Holder helps St Kitts and Nevis Patriots end losing rut

Jason Holder scored 38, added a crucial 55-run stand with Kyle Mayers and then returned to pick four wickets to end his team's losing run in CPL 2025. St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots posted 174 for 8 and then proceeded to defend it - by 12 runs - against the Barbados Royals.

The Patriots were on a slippery slope early in the innings after the Royals asked them to bat. Evin Lewis, Rilee Rossouw and Mohammad Rizwan were dismissed inside the PowerPlay, while Andre Fletcher, who hit three fours and a six for his 16-ball 25 was taken out in the ninth over. That brought Holder and Mayers together in an innings-reviving stand. Holder went after Kofi James in a 15-run 12th over and Mayers punished Nyeem Young in the 13th that earned the batting side 13 runs.

Eathan Bosch returned to break the stand with Mayers' wicket. Holder however, made the most of the reprieve offered to him in the 15th over, when Brandon King dropped a sitter at cover. The Royals kept pulling back with wickets but Abbas Afridi struck two sixes before Naseem Shah did the same in the final over from Bosch that cost 17 runs.

There was a near identical trajectory to Royals' riposte as they lost two wickets in the PowerPlay and a third in the ninth over with Quinton de Kock and Brandon King unable to carry on after brisk starts. Unfortunately for the Royals, there was no Holder-Mayers kind of partnership to sustain the chase. Even as Kadeem Alleyne attempted to counter-punch, there wasn't enough support at the other end. He smashed three sixes and two fours in his 28-ball 42 and Rovman Powell piqued hopes with a 15-ball 21, but it wasn't enough.

Holder's double-wicket over in the 17th pegged the chasers back further as they fell to 146 for 8 in the 17th over. After Naseem reduced the team to nine down, No. 11 batter Simmonds tried to ruffle feathers with a four and a six but Holder dismissed Jomel Warrican at the other end to wrap up the victory.

Brief Scores:St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots 174/8 in 20 overs (Kyle Mayers 42, Jason Holder 38; Ramon Simmonds 3-26, Daniel Sams 2-24) beat Barbados Royals 162 in 18.2 overs (Kadeem Alleyne 42, Brandon King 22; Jason Holder 4-14, Naseem Shah 2-32) by 12 runs