Jamaica Tallawahs lifted their third Caribbean Premier League title when they beat Barbados Royals by eight wickets in an action-packed final on Friday night. Playing in front a colourful crowd at the Guyana National Stadium Tallawahs made light work of the target of 162, winning with 23 balls to spare.

Brandon King stroked a classy unbeaten 83 from 50 balls with 13 fours and two sixes while Shamarh Brooks hit 47 from 33 balls, Tallawahs recovering from the loss of Kennar Lewis to the fourth ball of the innings to dominate in the end.

Azam Khan had earlier top-scored with 51 from 40 balls while Rahkeem Cornwall slammed 36 from 21 balls but Royals slumped from a promising 117-2 in the 15th over to 161-7 off their 20 overs.

The architects of their downfall were left-arm spinner Fabian Allen (3-24) and fast bowler Nicholson Gordon (3-33), the pair grabbing three wickets apiece to haul Tallawahs back into the contest.

For Tallawahs, the title triumph added to those of 2013 and 2016, and came on the back a challenging group stage campaign which saw them finish fourth on the log. For their heroics Allen was named Man of the Match and King was named Player-of-the-Series.

Royals entered the final having lost just two games in the group stage which they topped comfortably, but produced a lucklustre effort when they could least afford to.

Opting to bat, Royals roared from the blocks, Cornwall smashed two fours and four sixes and the left-handed Mayers, half-dozen fours, in a 63-run opening stand. When Allen removed both to leave the innings on 69-2 in the eighth over, Azam came to the rescue, putting on 48 for the third wicket with Jason Holder (17) and 23 for the fourth with Najibullah Zadran (6). Azam hit four fours and three sixes but missed a charge at Allen and was stumped in the penultimate over.

Royals then put their noses in front when Mayers yorked Lewis for a first-ball ‘duck’ with one run on the board but King anchored two half-century run stands to ensure the result.

First, King put on 86 for the first wicket with Brooks who followed up his sparkling century on Wednesday in the play-off with another dazzling knock, with six fours and two sixes.When Brooks holed out to deep backward square in the 11th over, King dominated a 75-run, unbroken third wicket partnership with Powell (14 not out) to keep the chase on course.

-ENDS-