Kingston Cricket Club Captain Akim Fraser says a healthy squad depth has been key to them completing the Senior Cup and 50-over tournament double in 2024.

On Saturday, Kingston CC comfortably defeated St Elizabeth Cricket Association via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the rain-affected 50-over final match at Sabina Park.

Sent to take first strike after St Elizabeth CA won the toss, Kingston racked up 309-5. They then limited St Elizabeth to 155-5 in 36 overs and two balls before bad light forced an end to the encounter.

Based on the DLS calculation, St Elizabeth had needed to be 216 for the loss of five wickets at the start of the 36th over.

Kingston CC’s triumph on Saturday was their first Jamaica Cricket Association 50-over title in over two decades. The victory completed the domestic double after they had lifted the Senior Cup two-day cricket crown in April.

While Kirk McKenzie, Brad Barnes, and Odean Smith played starring roles for Kingston CC in the 50-over final, Fraser said others were pivotal in the final analysis.

“I’m very happy about us completing the double. I think it was an overall good team effort that contributed to us winning,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“In 2023 we got to the Senior Cup final and lost out. But it was really about regrouping and coming again for 2024.

“I like when everybody gets involved… I think all parts of the team are important and we were going to need all members of the squad — not only the 11 who go out on the field — to be successful,” Fraser said.

Kingston’s impressive score on Saturday was built on half-centuries from McKenzie, Barnes, and Smith.

McKenzie, the out-of-favour West Indies Test left-hander, struck 86 from 122 deliveries, while Jamaica Scorpions batsman Barnes struck a 99-ball 83. The innings was boosted at the back end by sidelined West Indies white-ball all-rounder Smith, who hammered a 30-ball 53 not out, and Jamaica Scorpions Romaine Morris (37).

Jamaica Scorpions pacers Marquino Mindley and Andre McCarthy took two wickets each for the St Elizabeth team.

St Elizabeth’s run chase began solidly even though they were considerably adrift of the required rate. After losing an early wicket, they progressed to 106-1 in the 28th over; however, the dismissals of Tyrick Bryan (31) and Zavie Burton (60) left them in an almost insurmountable hole.

And when bad light curtailed the match, they were well behind the DLS par score.

The Kingston skipper lauded the batsmen for pulling their weight, and the bowling unit, led by Carlton Forbes, who grabbed 2-31, for keeping a lid on St Elizabeth’s potentially explosive batting.

“We always had a good batch of players but Brad Barnes is somebody who joined us in 2024 and he played a big role.

“Kirk McKenzie, this is the most consistent I’ve seen him bat and play for the club, especially in the 50-over competition — he was really the standout batter for us in almost every game,” Fraser said, while noting that other team members chipped in effectively when marquee players were out on Jamaica or West Indies duty.

Carlton Forbes (left) of Kingston Cricket Club bowls Andre McCarthy of St Elizabeth Cricket Association during the Jamaica Cricket Association 50-over final at Sabina Park on Saturday, October 26, 2024. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)