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THE JAMAICA Tallawahs were a consistent outfit in the first four Caribbean Premier League T20 tournaments, winning the inaugural title back in 2013 and then becoming the first franchise to win two CPL crowns when they clinched the trophy in 2016.
Both those titles were won with T20 superstar Chris Gayle as captain.
Tallawahs have been a shell of themselves since the 2016 campaign finishing fourth in 2017 and 2018, last in 2019 and fourth again in 2020.
Despite the barren period since the 2016 triumph there have been some spectacular moments for the franchise.
Those who attended the Tallawahs-Trinbago Knight Riders clash at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad during the 2018 tournament were treated with an incredible display by Andre Russell.
Russell grabbed a hat-trick and in the same match cracked a century to help Tallawahs chase down a mammoth 224 to pull off an unlikely victory.
Russell got to his century in 40 deliveries.
BOWLING BOOSTED
The Tallawahs have had a strong batting line up over the past few seasons, but their bowling attack lacked depth.
In the off season Tallawahs added the spin pair of Qais Ahmad and Chris Green.
Australian off spinner Green, an integral part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors for years, has now joined the Tallawahs.
Green snatched 13 wickets in 12 matches in the 2019 tournament and last year took nine wickets in 11 matches.
Leg spinner Qais Ahmad of Afghanistan also represented the Amazon Warriors in the past. A leg spinner has proved crucial to the success of the CPL teams in the past and Tallawahs will be banking on Ahmad to deliver the goods.
In two of the last three CPL tournaments a leg spinner has ended as the leading wicket taker. In 2018 Trinbago Knight Riders leg spinner Fawad Ahmed ended with 22 wickets and in 2019 Barbados Tridents leg spinner Hayden Walsh Jnr ended on top with 22 scalps.
[caption id="attachment_909104" align="alignnone" width="940"] In this August 25 file photo, Andre Russell of Jamaica Tallawahs hits a 6 during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match 12 against the Guyana Amazon Warriors at Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair. - via CPL T20[/caption]
South African medium pacer Migael Pretorius has also been signed. Veteran fast bowler Fidel Edwards can prove to be a handful with his yorkers and with Carlos Brathwaite improving as a medium pacer the Tallawahs have a solid bowling unit for the 2021 season. Rovman Powell and Russell will also provide assistance with their medium pace, along with left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.
RUSSELL LEADS BATTING UNIT
Russell is one of the most destructive T20 batsmen in the world and the Tallawahs success may depend heavily on him.
In 2020, Russell was the team’s second leading run scorer with 222 runs an average of 44.40 and an impressive strike rate of 141.40 in a tournament where batsmen struggled.
Chadwick Walton will aim to regain the form he showed in 2017 when he ended as the top run scorer. Walton, then a member of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, scored 458 runs and was named the player of the tournament.
Powell, Brathwaite and Kennar Lewis will add some power hitting to the line-up. Pakistani Haider Ali’s experience at international level can be an asset to the team along with the West Indies pair of Jason Mohammed and Shamarh Brooks.
PHILLIPS, RAHMAN DEPART
Phillips has left for the Barbados Royals and his services will be missed at the top of the order. The opener from New Zealand, who was the tournament’s second leading run scorer (316 runs) in 2020, has gave the Tallawahs blistering starts over the years.
Phillips is one of only two foreign players to score a century in the eight-year history of the CPL. In the 2018 tournament, Phillips cracked 103 in 63 balls against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. The innings included nine fours and six sixes.
His countryman Colin Munro of Trinbago Knight Riders is the other overseas player to score a hundred.
The right-hander has also been the team’s wicket-keeper since joining Tallawahs in 2017.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman of Afghanistan was the Tallawahs leading wicket-taker in 2020 and the second best in the tournament.
The off spinner grabbed 16 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 5.29. Rahman will not play in the 2021 CPL because of international duty.
 
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