A new champion will be crowned at Kensington Cricket Ground in Kingston during the final of the 25th Kingston Wharves Under-15 Cricket competition when former champion St Elizabeth take on first-time finalist Kingston in their 50-over-a-side match-up starting at 9:30 am today.

The two semi-final matches were played on Friday at Seaview Cricket Ground at Whitehouse in Westmoreland between St Elizabeth and Westmoreland and at Ultimate Cricket Ground in Discovery Bay, St Ann, between St Ann and Kingston.

St Elizabeth had a good day at the wicket making 286 all out in 43 overs and winning the match by 255 runs. Osmond Gayle with 132 posted the first century of the competition. Westmoreland’s Osman Saunderson was the most successful wicket-taker with 3-56.

Westmoreland in reply were skittled out for a mere 31 runs in 15 overs. None of the batsmen put up any meaningful challenge to the St Elizabeth bowlers. Renaldo Jacobs, 4-17, and Roberto Simpson, 3-10, bagged the bulk of the wickets.

The previously unbeaten St Ann waited for Kingston who arrived late and then invited them to take first strike. Kingston made 195-5 in their 50 overs. The main run-getters were Michael Meggs, Rahseed Edwards and Mark Todd. St Ann’s bowling fell down after giving up 57 extras. Michael Thompson got 2-37 in his 10 overs.

St Ann had a good start after being 108-4 at one point and looking comfortable. They then lost the next six wickets for 60 runs and the opportunity to challenge St Elizabeth in the final. Michael Thompson, 36, top scored. Elian Emmanuel took 4-23 in nine overs. St Ann ended their innings at 168 all out in 42.4 overs to lose by 27 runs.

Marlon Ramdeen, manager for Kingston, is anticipating a good showing from his team in the final.