Champs Bridgeport face 11-time winners Old Harbour in JEP cricket final
Back-to-back champions Bridgeport Super Sixers will be hunting a third title on the trot when they face 11-time winners Old Harbour Cricket Club in the 2024 St Catherine Jamaica Energy Partners 40-over-per-side final at Port Esquivel Sports Club on Sunday.
There is recent history between the teams after having clashed in last year’s final which was won by Bridgeport Super Sixers.
To advance to this season’s championship match, Old Harbour defeated Greater Portmore by 28 runs in the semi-finals at Port Esquivel Sports Club.
Old Harbour, batting first, made 155 all out with Glenmuir High schoolboy Alex Henry making 46 and former Jamaica Under-19 representative Romone Francis adding 36. National all-rounder Javelle Glenn took 6/22 for Greater Portmore.
In reply, Greater Portmore were bowled out for 127 with Javelle Glenn (36) and former Jamaica and West Indies youth player Ramon Senior (23) leading the scoring. Romone Francis (4-55) and Rohan Francis (3-31) were the top bowlers for Old Harbour.
In the other semi-final, Bridgeport defeated Basement by 59 runs at Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Bridgeport batted first and made 195 all out with the in-form Rushane Gordon (50), Smallie Brown (37) and Oshane Baugh (35) scoring most runs.
Basement’s Jamaica Under-15 representative Andrew Lloyd took 4-35 and Jamie grabbed Hay 2-22.
In reply, Basement were bowled out for 136 with Hay and Rasheed Outar hitting 49 and 39, respectively. Junior Morrison claimed a hat-trick in his 5-68 while Kern Duckett ended with 4-36.
Bridgeport are expected to lean on Rushane Gordon, brothers Daniel and Justin Beckford, Morrison, and Baugh in the batting department. Their bowling efforts are to be shouldered by Duckett, Dwayne Guthrie, Morrison and Roy Williams.
Old Harbour will look to Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Peat Salmon, Romone Francis, Damion Wolliston, former Jamaica U15 representative Erron Downer and Domain Wilson to lead their batting.
The main bowling responsibilities are expected to fall on Salmon, Rohan Francis, Deron Royal, and Downer.
Old Harbour’s titles came in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2015. Bridgeport title successes were in 2022 and 2023.