THE NATIONAL Cricket Championship moves into sixth round today and with teams fighting to prevent relegation and to gain promotion, action in both the Super League and the Senior League should be interesting.
With four matches to go in the Super League, Jamaica Defence Force lead the race for the title with 18 points, followed by St. Elizabeth on 13 and Kingston CC and Lucas on 12 each, and with five to go in the Senior League, Clarendon lead Zone A with 17 points followed by Trelawny on 15. Boys' Town lead Zone B with 22 points - six ahead of Tivoli who are on 16.
Based on contenders versus contenders, therefore, the feature match is the Super League encounter between Lucas and Kingston at Nelson Oval.
With relegation staring some teams in the face, however, the interesting matches are also in the Super League and involve Westmoreland, among the top teams in recent years, and the once mighty Kensington and Melbourne.
Based on the rules and regulations, the bottom two teams in the Super League at the end of the season will be relegated to the Senior League and the four teams at the bottom are Melbourne and Westmoreland on nine points each, Kensington on seven and St. Catherine Parish on four.
The interesting matches therefore are those at Allan Rae Oval where Westmoreland are up against St. Catherine CC, at Kensington Park where Kensington host St. Ann, and at Camp where Melbourne are up against JDF.
With St. Catherine CC only one point ahead of Westmoreland and St. Ann three in front of Kensington, however, the team in big trouble is Melbourne who face the leaders.
On performance so far, while the Westmoreland/St. Catherine, the Kensington/St. Ann matches could go either way, barring a surprise at Camp, the odds are heavily in favour of JDF winning at least first innings points over Melbourne.
Matches scheduled: Super League - St. Elizabeth versus St. Catherine Parish at Alpart, Lucas against Kingston CC at Kensington Park, Kensington versus St. Ann at Kensington Park, JDF against Melbourne at Camp, Westmoreland versus St. Catherine CC at Allan Rae Oval.
Senior League Zone A - Police versus St. James at Elletson Road, Clarendon against Hanover at JAMALCO, Manchester versus Trelawny at Manchester High; Senior League Zone B - Portland versus Kingston & St. Andrew Cricket Association at Folly, Boys' Town against St. Mary at Maxfield Park, Tivoli versus St. Thomas at Tivoli.
Standings: Super League - JDF 18, St. Elizabeth 13, Kingston CC 12, Lucas 12, St. Catherine CC 10, St. Ann 10, Melbourne 9, Westmoreland 9, Kensington 7, St. Catherine Parish 4.
Senior League Zone A - Clarendon 17, Trelawny 15, Manchester 14, Police 11, St. James 11, Hanover 6.
Senior League Zone B - Boys' Town 22, Tivoli 16, Portland 11, St. Mary 10, St. Thomas 5, Kingston & St. Andrew CA 2.
