JN/Michael Holding Masters Cricket bowls off Saturday

The JNGroup/Michael Holding Masters Cricket tournament bowls off with eight overseas teams and eight local teams on October 20. The eight overseas teams will arrive on the island tomorrow.

The overseas teams down to participate in this year's tournament are defending champions New York Masters and Tri-States Masters, Crusaders Masters, Florida Masters, Caribbean Masters, Atlanta Masters, Long Island Masters, and newcomer, A/F Combined Masters. The local teams are 2017 runners-up Ultimate Masters, Melbourne Masters, Montego Bay Masters, St Catherine Masters, May Pen Lions Masters, Domtar Masters, Discovery Bay Masters, and newcomers Westmoreland Masters.

Austin Hutchinson, director of World Masters Cricket, stated that one of the goals of the tournament is to educate young cricketers about the game of cricket; develop and enhance their skills by focusing on their abilities and interests such as batting, bowling, and fielding; instil sportsmanship; and build self-esteem by boosting their confidence.

"We want to teach them the importance of a cohesive team spirit, playing competitive cricket and developing trust, loyalty,commitment and teamwork, which will give them the best chance to represent their country and region in the future with honour and pride.'

"Since 2007, World Masters Cricket has been promoting sport tourism in Jamaica, when tourism is at one of its slower periods in the year," added Hutchinson, who is also a director of Classic Sport Caribbean Inc.

"We designed an 11-day vacation tour with the Jamaica Tourist Board, to include six days of cricket and five days of other activities," he said.

Founder of the tournament, Michael Holding, stated that he was extremely pleased to be involved with a project that teaches youngsters about the discipline of team sport and also contributes financially to the expenses they incur while attending school.

"My late mother, being a former schoolteacher and headmistress, has always been an influence in my life, hence my commitment to helping in the education of others".

JN Group's chief marketing manager, Jason McNeish, pointed out that his company has been a supporter of this initiative from the start.

"Since its inception 10 years ago, the JN/Michael Holding Masters Tournament has been a tremendous contributor to the under-13 cricketers in Jamaica," McNeish said.