Melbourne, St Ann reach one-day final

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Melbourne Kangaroos remained on course to cop their fourth hold on the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Limited Overs competition after scoring a 29-run win over reigning two-day Super League champions Manchester Lions in semi-final action at Melbourne Oval yesterday.

Melbourne's opponents in the final will be St Ann Cutters who defeated Hanover Dolphins by seven wickets in semi-final two at Ultimate Cricket Ground in St Ann.

At Melbourne Oval, Melbourne batted first and posted a less than imposing 194 courtesy of a 37-ball 38 from all-rounder Tafari Williams, 62-ball 34 from Andre McCarthy, and a 45-ball 31 from captain Marlon Samuels.

Pacers Stevon Patterson 3-28 and Nieve McNally 3-47 claimed most wickets for the visitors.

Manchester, who had won the toss and asked Melbourne to take first strike, could only manage 165 thanks to some fine bowling from in-form left-arm spinner Christopher Lamont, 3-30, and off-spinner Williams, 3-31.

Jamie Merchant with a 36-ball 38 made most runs for the losers.

"It was a very close contest. Manchester are a good team and always gives us a fight. But we couldn't afford to lose to them and surrender our title, and in the end we were able to rally and claim the win," said Samuels.

Manchester captain Gary Graham said his team should have won the match.

"We bowled well enough to win the match, it is our batsman that let us down today. Our middle, unlike in the past, did not stand up today," said Graham.

"We will have to wheel and come again and now switch our focus to the Twenty20 competition," he added.

At Ultimate, St Ann won the toss and invited Hanover to bat and the visitors led by 70 from Jermaine Blackwood, 57 from Rickel Walker, and 41 from Damion Davidson posted a challenging 235.

John Campbell 3-34, and Andre Dwyer 3-38 took most wickets.

St Ann, in their reply, then posted 238-3 with Marlon Johnson getting 86, Xavier Marshall 69 and Derron White, 44.

The final will be played next weekend.