St Elizabeth, JDF square off today for JCA T20 title

ST ELIZABETH and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will lock horns today at 2 p.m. at Sabina Park to decide the champions of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) T20 Bashment.

Both teams booked their place in the final following semifinal wins yesterday, with St Elizabeth getting by Police by six wickets, after which the JDF easily took care of St James by 94 runs.

In the opening semifinal, St Elizabeth asked Police to take the first strike, and the lawmen could only manage to put 118 runs on the board in 19.4 overs.

Seam was the order of the day for the St Bess team with captain Damian Ebanks leading from the front with two wickets, followed by double strikes from National fast bowler Marquino Mindley, Romaine Nembhard and Andre McCarthy.

It took a resilient 40 from 31 balls from Brian Latore, who hit five fours and one six to get Police over the 100-run mark, but wickets in clusters were the ultimate undoing of the lawmen.

In reply, St Elizabeth made hard work of the run chase, using all of 19.2 overs to get the 119 runs needed for the loss of four wickets.

Opener Jordan Holness led from the front with 51 from 60 balls, striking three fours and two sixes. Kerry Holness also chipped in with a valiant 40 from 30 balls with five fours and one six, as the pair added 65 runs for the second wicket.

Jordan Holness also found a useful partner in wicket-keeper Carl Wright, who chipped in with 16 not out in a partnership worth 47 runs. Kemar Anderson bagged three wickets for 22 runs.

Winning Captain Ebanks said his team will be going all out to take the trophy back to St Elizabeth.

“We want to continue to play good cricket, which we have done all season. The guys are up for the task, and it is just a matter of going out there and executing on the day,” he said.

In the meantime, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will certainly be a tough test for the St Bess team, after they demolished St James to book their spot in today’s final.

The Army men first put 183 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets, with Kevin Daley continuing his hot streak with the bat, scoring 65 runs from 35 balls.

Daley hit three fours in his innings and got good support from opener Tevin Gilzene, who chipped in with 44 and Deethmar Anderson, 29.

Ziggy Levy bagged two wickets for 22 runs for St James, who were blown away by the spin of Dennis Bulli, who bagged six wickets, including a hat-trick in their total of 89 in 14.3 overs.

Bulli finished with six for 16 from his four overs with Daley also contributing with the ball by picking up three wickets for 20 runs.