Tony Becca
THE PRELIMINARY round of the Supreme Ventures Super Cup cricket competition is over, and it is now time for the top four from the island's top 10 to rumble.
After nine rounds, the standing reads Manchester, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Melbourne and Kingston CC - in that order, will meet in the semi-finals.
It will be Manchester versus Kingston and JDF against Melbourne with the winners contesting the final.
Kensington, last year's champions, not only failed to make it into the top four, as after a disappointing season, they also finished next to the bottom of the standing and will be demoted to the Red Stripe Cricket Championship (Senior Cup) next year.
For those who remember that players like George Headley, J. K. Holt, Jr., Alfred Valentine and Lawrence Rowe represented Kensington, and that so many Kensington players represented Jamaica and the West Indies; for the members of the club that won the old Senior Cup five times in a row back in the 1960s; for old stalwarts like Oscar Hamilton and Selly Mitchell, and for present stars like Wavell Hinds and Daren Powell plus the consistent Samuel Douglas, Kensington's relegation must be a bitter pill to swallow.
UNAVAILABILITY
Before people start asking what is happening at Kensing-ton, however, they should remember three things.
They should remember that Kensington are still producing their share of Jamaica and West Indies cricketers; that because of West Indies duty, Hinds and Powell were unavailable for most of the season; and also that a number of Kensington players, including Jamaica and West Indies representative David Bernard, Jr. and Jamaica representatives Brenton Parch-ment and Maurice Kepple, are in England plying their trade and therefore missed the entire season.
While Kensington deserve some sympathy for their present predicament, Manchester deserve every praise. In fact, no praise is too high for their achievements this season.
ON TRACK FOR PRIZE
From all reports, Manchester fielded well. Looking at the scoreboard, they obviously have been batting and bowling well, and if they continue to do so - if Matthew Sinclair and Orville Pennant maintain their form and others like Gary Graham, Donovan Sinclair, Corey Phillips, Domain Sangster and Ziggy Levy rise to the occasion, if left-arm back-of-the-hand spinner Andre Dwyer and right-arm legspinner Donovan Sinclair continue to bowl well - it will be difficult to stop them from walking away with the big prize.
Manchester, in fact, have been playing so well that the consensus, it appears, is that apart from the members and friends of JDF, Kingston and Melbourne, cricket fans around the island are cheering for them and would love to see them crowned champions of Jamaica.
Only time will tell, but with Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Jr. and Nikita Miller away with the West Indies 'A' team, with Donovan Pagon absent injured and Melbourne far from their best, Manchester surely have a great chance of ending a wonderful season as champions.
That would be great, especially if they do so after two good semi-finals and after a good final.
