CPL 2022 week two: Unstoppable Royals, unconvincing Knight Riders
Royals look like the runaway early favourites, while South Africans Corbin Bosch and Dwaine Pretorious sparkle in the St Lucia leg
From managing all of three wins last season, Barbados Royals have rattled up five wins in five games this season and are the only unbeaten side in the tournament so far. Royals were particularly dominant against Trinbago Knight Riders in a rain-hit game. After punchy half-centuries from Kyle Mayers and captain David Miller carried them to 194 for 4, Oshane Thomas, the fast bowler, and Devon Thomas, who bowls part-time offspin, triggered a TKR collapse as Kieron Pollard's men lost seven wickets in the first seven overs of their chase. There would be no way back for TKR, despite the rain in Gros Islet.
In his first CPL season as captain, Shimron Hetmyer got a lot of moves right until the very last over of the game against Patriots who needed 22 off the last six balls with four wickets in hand. Odean Smith, who had pounded the pitch with his heavy lengths and high pace, seemed the natural choice to bowl that final over for Amazon Warriors. Just as Smith got ready to bowl it, Hetmyer belatedly changed his mind and instead tossed the ball to Romario Shepherd who has a tendency to leak runs at the death. In the last overs alone, since his CPL debut since 2018, Shepherd has conceded 91 off 48 balls, but Hetmyer still took a risk, which cost Amazon Warriors the game.
In their quest to get ahead of the DLS score against Royals, TKR suffered an irreparable collapse, which head coach Abhishek Nayar brushed off as an off day. However, even in their next game against Tallawahs, TKR collapsed to 97 for 8 in their pursuit of 154. It might not be panic stations yet for TKR, as they have played at least one game fewer than the other teams, but there are serious concerns around their batting.
It's hard to look past Bosch who has lit up the league with his all-round contributions. After bagging five catches in a game in the opening week - a CPL record matched by Kings' Tim David this week - Bosch cracked back-to-back fifties and backed up Royals' decision to play him at No.3 - a role he had performed in the inaugural 6ixty as well.
In only his third official T20 game, 20-year-old Kings seamer Matthew Forde ripped through Patriots' top order with figures of 3 for 19 in his three overs. After Dewald Brevis had hit Forde for a no-look six over midwicket - a candidate for the shot of the season - Forde generated a bit of extra bounce to have him splicing a catch to David for 11 off 9 balls. Forde was so pumped that he leapt and then took off on an Imran Tahir-esque celebratory run, with the home crowd cheering him on.
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo