WHAT HAPPENED to the “Saints” in the recently concluded 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL)?
Did I hear you ask, “who are the Saints?”…[the two cricketing franchises… the Saint Lucia Kings in the Windward Islands and the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Leeward Islands.] Did you know that these two Saints are “trusted” as “patron protectors of their countries? (..just for laughs…..)
The fact is “THE SAINTS are Conquerors.” And they are supposed to be always “Marching” in. BUT they marched without a “shout….without a “noise”…without “fanfare” …without the usual “sound of marching feet, beating drums and trumpet sound” in 2026!
AFTER ALL,… the marching Saints are associated with triumphant well-coordinated movement of hands and feet, and deafening singing/chanting of songs of victory signaling that they have overcome obstacles placed before them…. that is, all oppositions placed before them.
So…as we say in Cricket…HOW is Dat?…..what explains St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Saint Lucia Kings, playing in the Caribbean Cricket League, the Greatest Party in Sports, entering the “Festival of Cricket” but failing to “come to the Party?”
HEY! Do you know that we are talking about two CPL Champions. St Kitts and Nevis [ Christopher] outplayed Saint Lucia [Lucia] to Glory in 2021. And Saint Lucia [Lucia] prevailed over Guyana in 2024….both male and female [Saints] “went marching in” and in so doing… democratized the CPL [that is to say, ensured that every Franchise having the “bragging rights” to the Regional League].
BOTH “man” and “woman” [Christopher and Lucia] dominated CPL….and in their time, outplayed their opponents in every department of the “Calypso game.” In 2021 and 2024 they both exited the global tournament in triumphant style and with militaristic precision.
WHAT HAPPENED to the PATRIOTS in 2026? They started on one leg [with scores of 109, 156 and 130]…. seemed to get their “mojo” in the middle [with scores of 187, 171, 220 and 235] …but seemed to give up on the home run [with scores of 128 and 118].
Despite Jeremiah Louis’ memorable 5 wickets for 10 runs in 2.5 overs…. devoted fans thought the “Loyalists” had overcome the valleys of 2023 and 2024 when they won only one (1) game in each tournament… but it was not so.
Where were the well-oiled and fearsome KINGS of 2024? Notwithstanding the fact that they did accumulate 211 runs against the Trinbago Knight Riders in Trinidad and Tobago, they declined progressively as the tournament progressed [from a high of 155 to a low of 98].
BOTH SAINTS did not make it to the Playoffs…obviously, these are not the performances that galvanize teams to the business-end of a competitive tournament.
What is conventional wisdom with respect to the PATRIOTS? They suffered primarily because of poor top-order batting collapses and just too much pressure on the middle order. BUT I must add … the top order has overstayed they welcome and must be replaced [I am specifically recommending “finding replacements” for Johnson Charles, Karl Mayers and Andrea Flecher. Full Stop!].
One sympathizer says “The Kings’ struggles and ….elimination from playoff contention was due to a combination of severe player losses [referring to the loss of Fad Duplessis, Noor Ahmad, Alzarri Jospeh and Johnson Charles], and untimely injuries [young batting talents, Auguste and Jowel Andrew had to be redrawn because of injury]. Although with 8 points, they could have qualified for the playoffs with a better Net Run Rate.
NOW with ANXIOUS anticipation…the loyal fans from St Kitts and Nevis and from Saint Lucia await the NEXT Move by the owners of the “SAINTS” in preparation for the 2027 CPL season!
LESS YOU FORGET…,Let’s say “Congratulations” to the Antigua and Barbuda Falcon for winning the 2026 CPL Championship! BRAVO to the relatively New Franchise!… now “ALL” Playing Countries have bragging rights!
Peter adrien, Economist, Sports writer, syndicated journalist and sports Analyst
WHAT HAPPENED to the “Saints” in the recently concluded 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL)?
Did I hear you ask, “who are the Saints?”…[the two cricketing franchises… the Saint Lucia Kings in the Windward Islands and the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Leeward Islands.] Did you know that these two Saints are “trusted” as “patron protectors of their countries? (..just for laughs…..)
The fact is “THE SAINTS are Conquerors.” And they are supposed to be always “Marching” in. BUT they marched without a “shout….without a “noise”…without “fanfare” …without the usual “sound of marching feet, beating drums and trumpet sound” in 2026!
AFTER ALL,… the marching Saints are associated with triumphant well-coordinated movement of hands and feet, and deafening singing/chanting of songs of victory signaling that they have overcome obstacles placed before them…. that is, all oppositions placed before them.
So…as we say in Cricket…HOW is Dat?…..what explains St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Saint Lucia Kings, playing in the Caribbean Cricket League, the Greatest Party in Sports, entering the “Festival of Cricket” but failing to “come to the Party?”
HEY! Do you know that we are talking about two CPL Champions. St Kitts and Nevis [ Christopher] outplayed Saint Lucia [Lucia] to Glory in 2021. And Saint Lucia [Lucia] prevailed over Guyana in 2024….both male and female [Saints] “went marching in” and in so doing… democratized the CPL [that is to say, ensured that every Franchise having the “bragging rights” to the Regional League].
BOTH “man” and “woman” [Christopher and Lucia] dominated CPL….and in their time, outplayed their opponents in every department of the “Calypso game.” In 2021 and 2024 they both exited the global tournament in triumphant style and with militaristic precision.
WHAT HAPPENED to the PATRIOTS in 2026? They started on one leg [with scores of 109, 156 and 130]…. seemed to get their “mojo” in the middle [with scores of 187, 171, 220 and 235] …but seemed to give up on the home run [with scores of 128 and 118].
Despite Jeremiah Louis’ memorable 5 wickets for 10 runs in 2.5 overs…. devoted fans thought the “Loyalists” had overcome the valleys of 2023 and 2024 when they won only one (1) game in each tournament… but it was not so.
Where were the well-oiled and fearsome KINGS of 2024? Notwithstanding the fact that they did accumulate 211 runs against the Trinbago Knight Riders in Trinidad and Tobago, they declined progressively as the tournament progressed [from a high of 155 to a low of 98].
BOTH SAINTS did not make it to the Playoffs…obviously, these are not the performances that galvanize teams to the business-end of a competitive tournament.
What is conventional wisdom with respect to the PATRIOTS? They suffered primarily because of poor top-order batting collapses and just too much pressure on the middle order. BUT I must add … the top order has overstayed they welcome and must be replaced [I am specifically recommending “finding replacements” for Johnson Charles, Karl Mayers and Andrea Flecher. Full Stop!].
One sympathizer says “The Kings’ struggles and ….elimination from playoff contention was due to a combination of severe player losses [referring to the loss of Fad Duplessis, Noor Ahmad, Alzarri Jospeh and Johnson Charles], and untimely injuries [young batting talents, Auguste and Jowel Andrew had to be redrawn because of injury]. Although with 8 points, they could have qualified for the playoffs with a better Net Run Rate.
NOW with ANXIOUS anticipation…the loyal fans from St Kitts and Nevis and from Saint Lucia await the NEXT Move by the owners of the “SAINTS” in preparation for the 2027 CPL season!
LESS YOU FORGET…,Let’s say “Congratulations” to the Antigua and Barbuda Falcon for winning the 2026 CPL Championship! BRAVO to the relatively New Franchise!… now “ALL” Playing Countries have bragging rights!
Peter adrien, Economist, Sports writer, syndicated journalist and sports Analyst