Odean Brown, head coach of the St Catherine Cricket Club, says his team’s part in a riveting rivalry with Kingston Cricket Club is fuelled by a solid development programme over recent years.

St Catherine CC got the better of Kingston in the latest instalment of the rivalry on February 28, powering to a 99-run win in the Jamaica Cricket Association 50-over final at Sabina Park.

The competition originally had been scheduled to end last year, but was put on hold due to the damage sustained by clubs from the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

Kingston entered the match as defending champions after securing the domestic double in 2024.

While noting the all-around team effort that handed them a convincing victory on Saturday, Brown pointed to the recent keenly-fought clashes between the clubs — usually at the business end of both the Senior Cup and 50-over competitions.

“Both clubs have good players and have been doing fantastically well, bringing [together] youth and experience in their teams. You can see the years of [development] work coming to the forefront now. We just have to continue to build, continue to believe, and continue to help these youngsters… to make a life from the game,” the St Catherine CC coach told the Jamaica Observer.

“I think the teams challenge each other; it’s a good rivalry and brings out the best in each club. I hope it continues, because it raises the standard of cricket in the country.”

Akim Fraser, the Kingston CC captain, also welcomed the competitiveness between the teams.

“I think that a healthy rivalry has developed. When you look at the two teams, they are both stacked with national representatives. It is probably the marquee fixture in [local] club cricket now. They [St Catherine] have an aggressive, power-based approach as opposed to the more calculated, meticulous approach of our team,” Fraser explained.

In last weekend’s championship match, Kingston won the toss and sent the St Catherine team to bat first.

St Catherine were ultra-attacking from the outset, and compiled an imposing 343-9 from their allotted 50 overs. All-rounder Peat Salmon struck match-defining 109 from 107 deliveries, while former West Indies player smashed a 28-ball 43 and Kennar Lewis hit 39 from 34.

Pacer Derval Green took 3-73 for Kingston, with support coming from Andre Bailey (2-61) and sidelined West Indies Twenty20 cricketer Odean Smith (2-67).

Trying valiantly to match pace with the required run rate, Kingston lost wickets each time they seemed to have a foothold and were dismissed for 244 in 42.3 overs. Green top-scored with a whirlwind 37-ball 67, while Joel Ewan added 56 from 83 deliveries and Romaine Morris scored a dashing 51 from 44.

Carlos Brown, Salmon, Jeavor Royal and West Indies Under-19 player Vitel Lawes each claimed two wickets.

The Catherine CC coach said the team plan was well executed.

“We set out to be aggressive with each player looking to do his part. It’s not only about putting up a big score. You have to go out there and bowl and catch, just be consistent with each thing that you are doing. That’s what we did in the final,” Brown said.

Fraser acknowledged that their opponents were superior in the final.

“I think the better team won on the day. We didn’t bowl as well as we would have liked. Making early inroads in the power play was a key part of our plan. We probably got them, but they scored 30 runs too many. The game also drifted away from us in the latter stages [due to] bad execution with the ball.

“From a batting perspective we kept losing wickets at key intervals. It’s disappointing to lose, but credit must go to St Catherine CC for their execution on the day,” the Kingston CC captain told the Observer.

— Sanjay Myers

FRASER… making early inroads in the power play was a key part of our plan (Photo: Observer file)