Leaders battle for Super League glory

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

It is still anybody's guess as to who will capture this season's Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Super League crown, with Melbourne Kangaroos, Manchester Lions and St Catherine Saints all in with a chance heading into this weekend's final round of matches.

Melbourne, who finished second during last season's tournament, lead the eight-team standings with 23 points, one more than defending champions Manchester, while rounding off the top three is St Catherine Saints with 21 points.

With six points being awarded for an outright win, three points for first-innings honours and one for a no-result, it means that today's clashes are of utmost importance, with Melbourne versus Manchester at Courtney Walsh Drive being the feature game.

In other matches, St Catherine will play away to sixth-place and relegation-threatened Westmore-land Wizards at Little London; second-to-last Kingston Tigers will host mid-table St Elizabeth Warriors at Sabina Park; and last-placed Trelawny Buccaneers will entertain St Ann Cutters at the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium.

In the top-of-the-table clash, Melbourne, to be led by Carlton Baugh Jr, Marlon Samuels and Donovan Pagon, and possibly Nikita Miller, will be hoping to score an outright win over Manchester so that even if St Catherine score a similar result over Westmoreland, the title will theirs.

"Over the years we have had the better of the meetings between us, whether home or way, and will be going in confident to come out on top," said Melbourne manager Donald McNaughton.

Fireworks expected

"We will be aiming for an outright win, given the fact that St Catherine are in with a shot at the title," he added.

However, with Manchester being the defending champions and not willing to relinquish their crown, it is expected that the match will provide a few fireworks, with brain as much as brawn being used to grind out a result. Manchester could lose the title should they only win first-innings points.

"It will be a good, tough clash," said Manchester coach Barry Barnes. "We are the defending champions, and they want to beat us to go one better than last season. But we are ready for the challenge."

Manchester will be banking on captain Gary Graham, as well as Donovan Sinclair and their young, in-form batsmen Zeniffe Fowler and Jamie Merchant.

Left-arm spinner David Powell, who recently received his fist call-up to the national team and has been the main plank on which their season has been built, will lead their bowling attack.