Kingston, JDF square off in Senior Cup final

Kingston Cricket Club will contest their second straight Jamaica Cricket Association Senior Cup final when they take on resurgent former champions Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at Sabina Park today at 10 a.m.

Kingston secured their spot in the final after seeing off defending champions St Catherine CC on first innings points in their semi-final at Kensington Park, while the JDF advanced after a comfortable nine-wicket win over St Mary Cricket Association in the other semi-final at Three Hills Oval.

With the championship trophy at stake, the Kingston CC ‘Tigers’ have pulled out all the stops to ensure that their national representatives will be available for the grand finale, with the likes of West Indies Test batsman Kirk McKenzie and West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith set to line up alongside national players Javaughn Buchanan and Romaine Morris, who recently wrapped up their West Indies Championship campaign with the Jamaica Scorpions.

National player and captain Akim Fraser, along with national spinner Patrick Harty, are also expected to be in the mix, but it is still not clear if West Indies batsman and national captain Brandon King will take the field for the Tigers.

After losing their opening fixture to Mico University in the opening fixture, the Tigers have been on a hot streak, winning all remaining games, and it is that momentum that captain Fraser wants his team to take into today’s final.

“It’s going to be about playing the same style of cricket that we have been playing where we have been positive all season and supporting each other, and that is what it is going to be about,” said Fraser.

Kingston’s bowling has been a key component in their success, with left-arm spinner Harty leading the way with the most wickets in the competition after grabbing as many as six five-wicket hauls in the seven matches they have played.

With the national players returning, runs should also come their way with McKenzie, Morris, Andre Bailey and Joel Ewan expected to come up trumps.

On the other side, they face a disciplined JDF side that has been relentless in their title aspirations after they demolished St Mary in their semi-final.

The army men will have a few bowling weapons of their own. National spinner Dennis Bulli is poised to get among the wickets along with Kevin Daley and national pacer Andre Dennis who made his first-class debut in the final game of the season against the Guyana Harpy Eagles.

Their batting will revolve around Joel McDonald, Daley and Andre Fowler, along with the swashbuckling Deethmar Anderson.