The Caribbean Premier League has announced that it will review the controversial no-ball bowled by Barbados Tridents all-rounder Kieron Pollard during his side’s 10-wicket thrashing against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Pollard was criticised for not upholding the spirit of the game by commentators and fans alike after bowling what looked like a deliberate no-ball with the scores level. The all-rounder overstepped by a huge margin to deny Patriots batsman Evin Lewis the chance to score the second-fastest Twenty20 hundred of all time. Lewis was unbeaten on 97 off 32 balls. Pollard’s delivery would also have been a huge wide anyway had he not overstepped.
witnessed the worst form of sportsmanship in cricket from Pollard.
— Mid-wicket (@cricket543) September 4, 2017
Lost all respect for Pollard today.
Evn Lewis deserves a ton.#CPL17
So Kieron Pollard bowls a no-ball to deny Evin Lewis a hundred in CPL. S Randiv was suspended for a match when he did that to Sehwag in 2010
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 4, 2017
That is the one of the lowest acts I've seen on a cricket field. No time for Pollard.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) September 4, 2017
That was beyond distasteful from Pollard. Is better he had taken the bat and ball and go home since he wanna be childish.. -__-
— Baba Yaga (@Javed_jsr) September 4, 2017
The CPL said in a statement: “The incident at the end of the match between Barbados Tridents and the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots…where the match was ended with a no ball bowled by Kieron Pollard is being reviewed.” The league added that it was “very concerned by any suggestion that the action of any player can be considered to have brought the game or the league into disrepute”.
Lewis’s blistering knock, which helped his side chase down 129 inside just eight overs, earned him widespread praise. The southpaw, who smashed 11 sixes and six fours during his stay, brushed aside the incident. “It hurts [not getting to a century], but hitting 97 not out off 33 balls – I’ll take that any day.”