By Richard Bryan, Freelance WriterMANDEVILLE, Manchester:
THE WILCO-SPONSORED Headley Cup schoolboy cricket competition bowls off tomorrow with defending champions St. Elizabeth Technical hosting minnows Newell at their home field in Santa Cruz.
A record number of entries, more than 70, have forced the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) to expand last season's zone compilation from A to I to A to K.
Zone A: Cambridge, Anchovy, Herbert Morrison, William Knibb, Cornwall, Ruseas, St. James High.
Zone B: Knockalva, Godfrey Stuart, Mannings, Frome, Grange Hill, Little London, Merlene Ottey, Petersfield.
Zone C: Marcus Garvey, Ferncourt, Cedric Titus, York Castle, Ocho Rios, Aabuthnott Gallimore, Brown's Town.
Zone D: STETHS, Lacovia, B.B. Coke, Munro, Balaclava.
Zone E: Bellefield, Manchester, Porus, Cross Keys, Mile Gully.
Zone F: Alston, Albert Town, Christiana, Knocks, Holmwood, Spalding.
Zone G: Claude McKay, Clarendon College, Glenmuir, Thompson Town, Lennon, Garvey Maceo, Edwin Allen.
Zone H: Kemps Hill, Bustamante, Tacius Golding, Vere, Old Harbour, Central High.
Zone I: Dinthill, Ewarton, Troja High, McGrath, Bog Walk, Guy's Hill and Charlemont.
Zone J: St. Mary High, Oracabessa, Tacky, Iona, Brimmere Vale, Annotto Bay High.
Zone K: Morant Bay, Titchfield, Yallahs, Seaforth, Happy Grove, Fair Prospect, St. Thomas Technical.
Selected previews:
STETHS (ZONE D):
With 19 titles overall and four on the trot since they lost in the 1998 final at Alpart to Holmwood, captained by Ricardo Powell, the defending champions need little motivation to once again display their high standards. Minus two or at most three players, the Santa Cruz team are likely to field consistently the same line-up which claimed the title over Holmwood by virtue of first innings honours at Alpart.
With already a huge advantage in having national youth coach Junior Bennett to guide them, what should set STETHS apart from all comers should be the presence of new national senior, fast-bowler Jerome Taylor and Shawn Findlay, who has yesterday put forward by the Jamaica Cricket Association as a nominee for the West Indies B team.
Findlay added, STETHS are likely to field the most powerful batting line-up with quality players in Vilroy Walcott, Damion Davidson and Howard Powell.
Powell, Taylor and emerging Alton Beckford formerly of the national under-15 team, will combine to make the bowling just as awesome.
Overall, STETHS chances of lifting the title yet again are even much stronger than last year when they suffered hiccups, including a quarter final loss on home turf to Manchester High.
MANCHESTER HIGH (ZONE E):
Manchester, who have played second fiddle to Holmwood in previous years, should benefit from the new zone compilation.
With just Bellefield being the only team in zone E to ever taste second round action, Manchester are easily ranked the top team on the strength of their quarter-final performances last year and the high percentage of returning players from that squad.
First-time semi-finalists a few years ago, the Patrick Reid coached team shocked many last season, knocking over STETHS in the quarter-final away from the champions home turf in Santa Cruz.
That win forced a three way play off for a semi-final spot involving William Knibb which they eventually lost.
The team once again will be led by national Under-19 hopeful Ray Leonard, the team's strike bowler and a capable batsman who hit an unbeaten century against Bellefield last season.
Also returning are the teams most talented batsmen, Sheldon Smith, openers Craigon Malcolm and Oral Whiltshire, wicket keeper Jerome Cornwall, Jamie Merchant, Alex Elliott, Latchroy Morgan and Andre Henry.
HOLMWOOD (ZONE F):
Only champions STETHS can claim a better overall Headley Cup record than this Christiana based school, which has five titles including the last three (1990, 1993, 1998) under current coach Robert Lewis in addition to countless trips to the semi-finals and final. Holmwood are traditionally favoured to reach the final four. This year is no exception despite the team lacking players with outstanding national appeal.
All rounder David Powell (in his fourth year) and batsman Donovan Sinclair, brother of Matthew who played on the winning side in 1998, look set to change this picture.
Powell, who bats and bowls left-handed, and Sinclair, who scored three centuries last season, were named on the list of Jamaica's reserves for the last regional youth tournament.
The team is capably served by a number of potential talents in fast bowler Uriel Samuels, Kadian McKenzie, Hugh Blackwood and Boris Hutchinson. A lot is expected of Ziggy Levy, who was the Jamaica vice-captain in last years regional Under-15 tournament.
In practice matches to date, Holmwood have defeated UTech, Dinthill and Edwin Allen.
BELLEFIELD (ZONE E):
It's been five years since Bellefield tasted second round action and coach Johnwary Knight is dreaming of that again. It is a very distinct possibility, given the change in the zone structure and the potential of players retained from last year.
In previous years, the presence of Holmwood and Manchester relegated them to third place but the absence of Holmwood should greatly enhance their chances to finish behind likely winners Manchester.
A look at the zone shows two newcomers in Porus and Mile Gully with Cross Keys hardly likely to provide any scare. The side will be led by Hanif Martin, the player likely to be considered the most experienced in the competition as he is entering his fifth full season at this level.
Returning players include Jemoy White, whose century against Cross Keys was the school's first ever in the competition. Others are Jermie Wright, wicket-keeper Ricardo Allen, Jermaine Johnson and Donovan Morgan.
Due to preparation problems with home venue Kirkvine, Bellefield will use Manchester High for their opening home game against that school on Wednesday, January 15.
OLD HARBOUR (ZONE H):
Maurice Kepple's elevation to the national senior side is likely to provide a lot of motivation for Old Harbour to do well in this year's competition.
Kepple piloted the St. Catherine School to their first second round berth two seasons ago on the strength of outstanding performances with the bat, which also handed him the MVP award.
Last season, Old Harbour went even further, reaching the semi-final before losing to St. Elizabeth Technical at Alpart. Coach Kirk Gordon, who captained Holmwood when he played schoolboy cricket in the mid 1990s, said the momentum which carried the school to their first schoolboy football title, the Ben Francis Cup last term, is likely to spill over to the cricket team.
The team boast eight players returning from last year's starting 11, an advantage which makes them a prospects to repeat last season's feat. With Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo now relocated to Zone G, an interesting challenge looms to find Zone H's top team between Old Harbour and the highly fancied Vere Technical.
From performance in practice matches so far, Old Harbour's strength should revolve around the Kelly twins, Keith and Orane. Keith, who bowls offspin and captured 31 wickets last season, has featured among the wickets while getting two undefeated half centuries in pre-season victories over Johnathan Grant and Old Harbour's Division I side.
Orane, who bowls leg spin, snared 41 wickets in the Headley Cup last season but was surprisingly overlooked for national selection.
Completing the returning list are wicketkeeper Randolph Brown, (most dismissals last season), Cleon Thompson, Kemar Jarrett, Everoy McLoud, Garnet Gaynor, Erron Downer, Ricardo Bennett and Randy Carter.
EDWIN ALLEN (ZONE G):
The recent acquisition of a bowling machine at the Frankfield-based school has brought a lot of hope for cricket there. Coach Nassive Brown is hoping to let this factor count although the last few years the team has merely flattered to deceive.
Take, for example, last season. They breezed through the preliminaries, strategically placing themselves behind Clarendon College so they could take advantage of being paired with fancied seed Holmwood, a team they had beaten in the pre-season.
However, after knocking away Cornwall and Maggotty in early quarter-final action, they fell away badly against Holmwood and Mannings.
Eight players are available from last year's squad - Omar Knight (Clarendon Senior Cup player), Jaipaul Powell (National Under 15 batsman), Kenroy Mundle, Kevin Harris, Jerome Ellington, Norman Wright, Xavier Morris, Conroy Lawrence and Diego Morris.
Edwin Allen's perennial quarter-final status is likely to be threatened by the presence of Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo in Zone G. However, their presence should help to make the zone the most competitive and strongly represented.
VERE TECHNICAL (ZONE H):
Even with the claims of Old Harbour, Vere Technical are still considered the fancied team in Zone H.
Under coach Coleman, the Hayes-based school have reached the semi-final for the last four years. In addition, they have topped their Zone during this period. Although losing batsman Omar Campbell, who scored most and picked up the MVP award, the side is considered a very strong one with the return of nine players from last year's team, which lost to Holmwood in the semi-finals.
Heading Vere's team list is Under-19 fast bowler Jowayne Robinson, who was injured for the last regional tournament, along with batsman Duran White, Bryan Morgan, Kirk Thompson, Denver Passley, Ian Morgan, Jason Nelson and Andre Clarke.
KEMPS HILL (ZONE H):
Kemps Hill are considered serious contenders, at least in the preliminary round, on the strength of making it to the final of the rural Under-16 competition where they lost to Holmwood Technical.
With Vere and Old Harbour already the established teams in Zone H, Kemps Hill are easily ranked third ahead of the unspectacular pack of Bustamante, Central High and Tacius Golding.
Last year, Kemps Hill's campaign was greatly hampered when they forfeited match honours to Glenmuir following a row with an assistant umpire's decision to give their star batsman, Dwayne Mahabir, out against Glenmuir.
This season, Mahabir, a Clarendon Senior Cup player, returns to shoulder the batting, along with Joseph Ranger and Fabian Anderson, Marvin Frock and Asis Cockett.
The team's presence in this zone could be crucial to deciding which of Old Harbour or Vere emerge zone winners. Coach Patrick Gustard is hoping the clash will provide a result from which his team can sneak through as the second-placed team.
MUNRO (ZONE D):
Munro last and only Headley Cup triumph was 28 years ago in 1974 when the team was coached by Horton Dolphin. Over the past five years they have played second fiddle to STETHS while being denied a place occasionally by Maggotty.
This year, Maggotty will not play, hence coach Christie Goodhart is looking to capitalise fully as the other teams, Lacovia, B.B. Coke and Balaclava, are far less experienced at this level.
Heading Munro's charge is Chadrick Walters, who played on the national Under-19 team last season. Other potentially good players include the coach's son, Jamie Goodhart, a former national Under-16 invitee, Anthony Jones, Kerry Powell, Dennis Oridge, Elvis Palarchy and Kason Reid.
Practice matches so far against Mannings and Meadowbrook have been successful with Goodhart performing with both bat and ball.
