St Catherine Cricket Club are now four-time champions of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) All-island 50-over competition following their seven-wicket victory over St Elizabeth Cricket Association in the final at Up Park Camp yesterday.

Led by a composed knock of 81 not out from 84 balls by Shacoya Thomas, which included 11 fours, the Danza Hyatt-captained St Catherine CC were awarded $500,000 and the championship trophy after dismissing their opponents for a moderate total before easily surpassing the target.

Scores: St Elizabeth CA 153 all out (37.2 overs); St Catherine CC 154-3 (30 overs).

St Elizabeth CA were asked to take first strike after they arrived late for the game which saw they toss being offered to St Catherine CC.

The visitors lost their first three wickets with just 43 runs on the board. A 39-run fourth-wicket stand between captain Damion Ebanks (35) and Daniel Ricketts (26) was the only resistance offered as they tried to repair the damage, but when both batsmen fell, St Elizabeth were left struggling at 100 for five.

St Catherine’s progress was delayed briefly by a painstaking seventh-wicket partnership of 30 runs between Shawn Findlay (19) and national Under-17 wicketkeeper batsman Rashjni Roye, who could only muster seven runs, as St Elizabeth’s miserable innings was wrapped up inside 40 overs.

Odean Brown grabbed three wickets for 11 runs from four overs to lead the bowling, with strong support coming from Peat Salmon (three for 21) and Tamar Lambert (two for 40).

St Catherine’s run-chase was off to a blistering start as Thomas and Orane Williams took them to lunch at 59 without loss from seven overs.

However, they were stopped in their tracks at 63 for two after medium pacer Shawn Findlay removed Williams (21) and Hyatt for a duck in the first over after lunch. Thomas and Tamar Lambert added 30-runs for the fourth wicket before Lambert went, caught for 13. But that was all the success St Elizabeth would reap, as Thomas and Peat Salmon (17 not out) carried St Catherine across the line.

Findlay took two wickets for 12 runs and captain Damion Ebanks, one for 32, were the only successful bowlers.

Jermaine Williams, who is winning his first title as coach of St Catherine, hailed his team for a dominant performance.

“The feeling is really great, I must give thanks to the senior players for the past two years…they have done their jobs and it has brought us this far,” he beamed.

Meanwhile, St Elizabeth’s captain Damion Ebanks was left disappointed.

“I think we played some really poor cricket today (yesterday); this is one of our worst games this season. St Catherine outplayed us today and they came out on top so hats off to them,” he said.

St Elizabeth were awarded $250,000 for their efforts.