Fri | May 3, 2024

Melbourne, JDF to contest JCA 50-over final

Published:Monday | October 2, 2023 | 12:09 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
Melbourne CC captain Javelle Glenn in action at Chedwin Park last Saturday as he scored a half-century to guide his team to an eight-wicket win over St Ann in their Jamaica Cricket Association All-Island Limited overs (50-over) semi-final. Looking on is w
Lennox Aldred
Melbourne CC captain Javelle Glenn in action at Chedwin Park last Saturday as he scored a half-century to guide his team to an eight-wicket win over St Ann in their Jamaica Cricket Association All-Island Limited overs (50-over) semi-final. Looking on is wicketkeeper Sushane Anderson.

Defending champions Jamaica Defence Force gave themselves another crack at the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) All-Island 50-over title following their 64-run semi- final win over Police on Saturday at Kensington Park.

The army men will face Melbourne Cricket Club in the final after they easily took care of St Ann by eight wickets in their semi-final at Chedwin Park.

The JDF-Police encounter was expected to produce a real battle for supremacy and when Police won the toss and sent JDF in to bat, a score of 162 all out was always attainable for the lawmen.

Adario Walcott put in a decent effort with the ball by bagging three wickets for 34 runs from nine overs to help restrict the army men, while Shemar Edwards backed that up with three wickets of his own which went for 38 runs.

Marlon Saunders did the brunt of the scoring for the soldiers with 43 runs from 52 balls, including five fours and a six, while Deethmar Anderson chipped in with 28 from 22 balls.

Captain Kevin Daley then put in a Man of the Match performance by bagging seven wickets for 29 runs from 7.1 overs to blow away Police for 98 all out in 24.1 overs. National spinner Dennis Bulli took two wickets for 11 runs to help seal the comfortable victory. Only Jahmarie Martin and Kemar Anderson, with 15 runs each, got into double figures for the lawmen.

Over at Chedwin Park, Melbourne CC made light work of their contest against St Ann, who could not cope with the spin of Andre McCarthy and Abhijai Mansingh, who took four wickets each in dismissing them for just 86 in 27.2 overs when they batted first.

Off-spinner McCarthy ended with four wickets for 14 runs from nine overs, while Mansingh picked up four wickets for 27 runs from 8.2 overs. Opener Suwayne Wilson with 16 was the innings top scorer.

In reply, Melbourne captain Javelle Glenn hit a quick-fire 50 from 30 balls to guide the Kangaroos to 89 for two in just 12.3 overs.

The left-handed Glenn hit one four and seven sixes in his blazing knock. Opener Kimani Wilson chipped in with 24 from 40 balls to seal the emphatic win.

Winning captain Glenn praised the workmanlike effort from his team to get Melbourne into the final.

“I thought the players came out today and meant business from ball one. We have been playing good cricket all season, with our experienced players turning up at the right time, with McCarthy and Mansingh with the ball and myself with the bat. So every game someone puts their hand up, which is pleasing.”

Losing captain Damani Sewell of St Ann said his team played their bad game at the worst possible time.

“We got off to a poor start at the top, which affected our batting, and our innings didn’t get started. Today was just one of those bad days for us,” Sewell said.