Tony Becca The Super Cup cricket competition continued on the weekend and despite the heavy rain on Friday, there were some good and encouraging performances as Manchester jumped into the lead with 16 points from four matches, followed by Kingston CC and St. Elizabeth on 14 each and Melbourne on 13.
In defeating the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) by seven wickets at Up Park Camp, Manchester owed a lot to Gary Graham, who stroked 11 fours and hit three sixes, while scoring 110 runs, and to left-arm wrist spinner Andre Dwyer who took four wickets for 35 runs off 13.5 overs.
In defeating lowly Trelawny, for whom Lorenzo Ingram scored 112 and Kemar Allen took five for 47 - by an innings and 51 runs - Kingston CC should say a big thank you, not only to captain Kerry Scott who took 10 wickets in the match, including six for 40 in the second innings, but also to the gods.
The other players who deserve a pat on the back are left-hander Shawn Findlay, who scored 98 to lead St. Elizabeth to first innings points over Kensington, and Yanick Elliott, who picked up a hat-trick as Melbourne routed Lucas for 66 on their way to first innings honours.
INTERESTING SITUATIONS
With the heavy rain leaving Chedwin Park under water and the match between St. Catherine CC and West-oreland without a ball being bowled, there were two interesting situations on the weekend, with one taking place at Sabina Park and the other at Nelson Oval.
May be Kingston, their captain Scott and their coach Terrence Corke, are first-class weather forecasters, but even if they are, it was strange that after all the rain during the week and on Friday, after all the threat of rain to come, the Tigers dismissed Trelawny for 77 - the same Trelawny that found it difficult to reach 100 runs in their previous matches and did not do so in their first inning, and then batted on to 326.
Kingston were lucky that the sun shone all day on Sunday and that the rain stayed away and did not rob them of victory.
It would have been interesting to listen to their reason or reasons for batting so long had rain stopped play with half the day to come with Trelawny, as usual, on the run in their second innings, heading for another low total and on their way to defeat.
DIFFERENT STORY
It was a different story at Nelson Oval and particularly so that it is not the first time it has happened, one that the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) should look at and deal with.
The first day's play in the match between Melbourne and Lucas was abandoned without a ball being bowled, it was abandoned by mid-day, it was abandoned at that time because the umpires, obviously, did not see how it could be ready for play during that day and regardless of what anyone wants to say, it was abandoned because the pitch was not prepared and because it was left uncovered during the rain on Frida the club has covers.
One excuse is that the club's covers are no good and another one is that it rained so heavily that nothing could be done about preparing the pitch.
NO EXCUSE
With the rules stating that "clubs and parishes not having an adequate set of covers can lose the points to the visiting team if, before or during the match, play is interrupted because of adverse weather conditions", the first excuse is not an excuse, and with matches played at every other ground in Kingston on that day, including next door at Kensington Park, the second excuse is also not an excuse.
West Indies cricket is suffering because cricket in Jamaica and the other territories is suffering, cricket in Jamaica and the other territories is suffering because cricket in the clubs is suffering, and cricket in the clubs is suffering because the clubs are suffering - an that may be why Lucas do not have proper covers, they are not only suffering from the lack of money.
The clubs are also suffering, not only from the lack of members, but also from the lack of members who know the game, who care about the game, who have a passion for the game, who will protect the image of the game and therefore from the lack of guidance.
