Kingston Wharves U-15 cricket bowls off
The highly-anticipated Kingston Wharves Under-15 cricket competition bowls off today with 18 teams drawn from local clubs and parishes, all battling for supremacy in the new-look competition.
This year the teams have been zoned according to counties, in keeping with the new format of Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) competitions. The top two teams from the last staging of the competition — defending champions Manchester and runners-up St Mary — have both been drawn in the tough-looking Zone D, which also includes Clarendon, St Catherine CA, and St Ann.
Zone A comprises Kingston, Lucas, Kensington, and Portland; Zone B has Trelawny, St James, Westmoreland, and St Elizabeth; while the teams in Zone C are Boy’s Town, St Catherine CC, Portmore, Kingston and St Andrew Cricket (KSAC), and Melbourne. Hanover and St Thomas will not be participating this year.
Tuesday’s matches will see Lucas vs Kensington; Portland vs Kingston; St James vs Trelawny; St Elizabeth vs Westmoreland; St Catherine CC vs Boys Town; Melbourne vs KSAC; Clarendon vs St Catherine CA; and St Mary vs St Ann.
JCA CEO Courtney Francis said he is confident that the new zoning along county lines would make for a more keenly contested competition.
“We used the new format recently in the All-Island Limited Overs Competition and it was a huge success,” Francis noted.
“And based on reports all the youngsters are raring to go for their first taste of national competition since the [novel coronavirus] pandemic.
“It is very important for the Jamaica Cricket Association that the youngsters in this age group start playing competitive cricket again after two years of no competition,” Francis said.
He added that the Kingston Wharves tournament would provide valuable match practice for the players selected on the national Under-15 team who will be available for the first two rounds of matches prior to their departure for the regional Under-15 tournament.