Errol K. Miller (right), LIME's regional vice-president, corporate communications, presents a sponsorship cheque valued at $550,000 to Jason Rhoden (centre), chairman and president of the South East Clarendon Cricket Association (SECCA), to finance SECCA's 2009 20/20 cricket tournament at LIME's corporate offices on Carlton Crescent yesterday. Looking on is Kelvin Shaw of the Bushy Park community cricket team, one of the contestants. - Contributed

GRASS-ROOTS cricket in Clarendon got substantial backing from telecommunications giants LIME, which downloaded sponsorship worth $550,000 to the annual South East Clarendon Twenty/20 cricket tournament.

"Community cricket has been a very long-established activity in Jamaica and the South East Clarendon Cricket Association (SECCA) has been doing an amazing job with this tournament since its inception.

"It is a pleasure for LIME to serve as sponsor and contribute to the growth of cricket in the parish," said Errol Miller, LIME's regional vice-president, corporate communications, during the launch at their corporate office in Kingston yesterday, as he noted his company's partnership with the competition since its inception four years ago.

"We're pleased with how it has grown into a very visible tournament that acts as a unifying force for communities across the parish ... we're hoping other parishes will emulate this sort of activity."

Miller added: "I think this is something that the community needs, something that Jamaica needs."

One of the main persons behind the project, SECCA's chairman and president, Jason Rhoden, was visibly excited as he noted their gratitude for the sponsorship and outlined details of the competition.

"SECCA has a dream. We see cricket as a (vehicle) that can reach out to the community and bridge the gap," he said, noting their desire to make cricket a unifying force within the environs that are sometimes impacted by the negative influences of crime.

Rhoden continued: "We want to have a competition with a high standard of cricket but equally important is that we also want to promote a spirit of unity among all the communities that participate. We want to set an example for the rest of Jamaica."

The tournament, which is slated for 12 weeks with matches on Sundays, includes 12 participants from areas in South East and Central Clarendon.

The teams are Bushy Park, Corn Piece, Four Paths, Lionel Town, Longville Park Housing Scheme, Mitchell Town, Moorelands, Portland Cottage, Raymans, Sandy Bay, Tread Light and Twin Palms.

Cricket festival

As a launching pad to the tournament, LIME and SECCA will team up in hosting a community cricket festival on Sunday, October 4, at the Bushy Park Community Centre. It will feature seven of the contestants, including champions Comma Pen, Twenty/20 business house champions LIME and a team from Television Jamaica.

"It'll be like a one-day World Cup," remarked Rhoden, adding that their competition will be a family event with "... bounceabout and activities for the kids. The idea is that the entire family can come and spend their Sundays enjoying cricket in a fun-filled atmosphere."

Rhoden also made special mention of "Courtney Walsh Sports Goods Company for coming on board and providing some prizes; the Cricket Umpires Association for providing officials; and Bushy Park Association for preparing the fields".

Kelvin Shaw of the Bushy Park cricket team stated his appreciation for the venture, noting that "... it helps with the level of socialisation within the communities ... this will pull people together and help to show some of the hidden talent in the communities."