Central, Strike Force go after St Thomas crown
CENTRAL Cricket Club of Morant Bay and Strike Force of Yallahs will contest the final of the St Thomas Cricket Association Senior League for the Bill Bennett Trophy today and tomorrow at the GoodYear Oval, Morant Bay.
Match time is 10 o’clock on both days.
Central, winners of the East Zone, defeated St Thomas Sugar (Golden Grove) in one semi-final, while Strike Force got by Yorkshire (Willowfield), winners of the West Zone, in the other semi-final.
The final is expected to attract a large turnout of the parish’s cricket enthusiasts, and promises to be an exciting and competitive encounter as both teams are well balanced.
The two teams will have some parish representatives at the senior level on show, while showcasing some new and exciting young players who are all poised to challenge for places on the senior team that will represent the parish in the Jamaica Cricket Association’s national competitions.
The competition involved 10 community clubs that were divided into two zones — east and west. This is the first staging of a local clubs/community cricket competition in almost 10 years.
The main trophy is named after the late Bill Bennett, the past president of the St Thomas Cricket Association and a past director of the Jamaica Cricket Association. He was also manager of the national senior team. His wife, now Custos of St Thomas, is patron and cosponsor of the competition.
In semi-final action last Saturday, Central Cricket Club made 243 for six declared, with Fitzroy Reid hitting 71 and Lorain Tirell contributing 65.
Sheldon Salmon took two for 46.
Marvin Darlington then destroyed St Thomas Sugar with six for 55, as only Wayne Osbourne (46) contributed significantly to the meagre reply of 119.
In the second semi-final the following day, Strike Force batted well to post 244 for nine declared. Kashane Roberts hit a topscore 69 and Marshaleck Price, 57, against Leroy Goffe with three for 76.
Yorkshire could not cope with the bowling of Jonoy Abrahams (five for 34) and Dervan Francis with two for 14 and succumbed to 110 all out, led by a topscore 34 from former St Thomas cricketer and national training squad invitee, Kenneth Thompson.
