Clarendon 40-over contest bowls off
MAY PEN, Clarendon — Cricket lovers in Jamaica’s most central parish are set to have a feast this Easter, as the inaugural staging of the Clarendon Cricket Association’s ’40 for 40′ limited-overs competition will bowl off today with six matches.
Fourteen teams will participate in two groups (A and B) of seven and will play each other once in a 40-over innings.
At the end of the preliminary round, which will run from February 28 to April 11, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals set for April 18.
The winners of the semi-finals will challenge for a cash prize of $40,000 and the right to be crowned champions of 40-overs cricket in the parish on April 25.
The competition, which is being used as a medium to identify new talent for the parish team, is presently without sponsorship, but Fritz Harris, president of the Clarendon Cricket Association, is optimistic they will attract support before long.
“We’re without sponsorship for this competition, but we decided to go ahead with it because we didn’t want to drag it out.
“However, we’re currently speaking to some people, so there is a possibility that before the competition ends we could get some sponsorship,” Harris said.
He added: “… We’re having a problem with our batting… even at the schoolboy level, so this competition will help us to identify some new players for the parish team and, of course, give them (players) some good batting practice.”
Zone A — Campden, Ebony Park, Fairburn, Longville Park, Sevens Heights, Treadlight and Twin Palms.
Zone B — Bring Back The Love, Bushy Park, Four Paths, Mineral Heights, Portland Cottage, Sandy Bay and Wood Hall.
Today’s schedule: Campden vs Ebony Park at Campden; Longville Park vs Fairburn at Longville Park; Treadlight vs Sevens Heights at Treadlight Primary; Bushy Park vs Bring Back The Love at Bushy Park; Portland Cottage vs Wood Hall at Portland Cottage; Four Paths vs Mineral Heights at Four Paths Community Centre.
Twin Palms and Sandy Bay receive byes from the first round. Matches start at 10:30 am.
— O Tobias
