BY SANJAY MYERS

Observer staff reporter

REIGNING champion University Dynamites booked their place in the final of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) Twenty20 (T20) competition after beating closest rivals Spanish Town Titans by four runs yesterday at Melbourne Cricket Club.

Scores: University Dynamites 143-6 (20 overs); Spanish Town Titans 139-9 (20 overs)

With the victory, the Dynamites moved to the top of the standings with 16 points.

The top team at the end of the preliminaries and the winner of the second and third place play-off match will contest the final.

The MoBay Sixers beat the Mandeville Thunders at Manley Horne Park to move to 13 points and will play for a shot in the finals against the Titans (12).

That match is set for today at Manley Horne. In the rain-truncated second match at Melbourne, the Kingston Hurricanes lost out on a playoff spot after suffering an 11-run defeat to lowly Ocho Rios Chargers via the Duckworth & Lewis method.

Scores: Ocho Rios Chargers 166-5 (20 overs); Kingston Hurricanes 31-3 (5 overs)

In yesterday’s opening game, out-of-favour West Indies batsman Nkrumah Bonner hit 56 from 44 balls to lead the Dynamites to 143-6 off their allotted 20 overs.

Shacoya Thomas added 27, while David Bernard chipped in with 18 not out.

West Indies T20 star Andre Russell took 2-31 with his seam bowling and left-arm spinner Paul Harrison took 1-11.

In reply, Russell, batting at number five in the line-up, hit a blistering 23-ball 46 runs and opener Tamar Lambert made 25.

Left-arm spinner Coi Thompson led the Dynamites bowling with 4-18 off four overs.

National pacer Andrew Richardson took 2-24.

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), has invested over $5 million towards the month-long tournament, organised by the Jamaica Cricket Association.