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Broilers clip LIMEin BH cricket final

Jamaica Broilers turned the tables on defending champions LIME in the Digicel Business House cricket series Reggae Jammin 50-over final at Kensington Park recently, winning by five runs as the curtain came down on the 2010 Business House cricket season.

Broilers thus prevented LIME from making a clean sweep of the four competitions run by the Business House Cricket Board. LIME had previously won the Digicel 20/20 final, the Noranda Bauxite Partners 35-over KO final and the Best Dressed Cricket 30-over KO final, beating Broilers by 74 runs at Chalmers Avenue.

In a low-scoring league final, the scores were: Jamaica Broilers 128 all out off 42.5 overs; LIME 123 all out in 48.3 overs.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Broilers ran into early trouble when Robert Turner was trapped leg before by former Jamaica and West Indies Under-19 player Andre McCarthy for two.

However, St Catherine CC Super League player Wayne Morgan (34) and current Jamaica Under-19 player Peat Salmon (31) shared in a 52-run second-wicket partnership before Salmon fell to Fitzroy Peterkin, caught at long off.

Thereafter, Broilers had to struggle for runs against some tight bowling, as only skipper Peter Caballero (12) and tail-ender Fitzroy Bryan (13) were able to reach double figures.

Peterkin claimed three for 24 off 10 overs, former national youth player Yannick Elliott two for 10, McCarthy two for 22 and Ryan Francis two for 23.

Looking to have a simple task with a strong batting line-up which included current national player Horace Miller, LIME started disastrously, losing reliable opening batsman Omar Allison for nought off the second ball to medium pacer Morgan.

After Miller was bowled by Morgan for 19 and Francis (21) fell to Salmon at 51 for three, Morgan returned to grab the prized wickets of McCarthy for six and Yannick Elliott, without scoring, to leave them shakily placed at 86 for six.

In the end, LIME slipped to 94 for nine and despite the brave efforts of the Melbourne all-rounder Damion Jacobs (46 not out) and last man Peter Colquhoun (11) to get the required runs, their stand came to an end when Colquhoun was brilliantly caught by Andrew Davis at midwicket off Marland Lindo, with eight balls remaining. Morgan was the pick of the bowlers with four for 17 off 10 overs, while Turner took two for 30.

Hangover at lastin Pattex Cup skittles

Newcomers Hangover won their first match in the 2010-2011 Pattex Cup skittles competition last Sunday when they defeated home team Willies Strikers 7-4 (6-1) at Three Miles.

This marked the first win for the Portmore-based team in seven matches, and all the members were happy to have broken the ice at last. The team, which includes such experienced players as Harold Buchanan, Cecil Green and former Skittles Association president Lenville Pottinger, hails from Mega Way (near MegaMart) in Portmore.

In other matches played last Sunday, Zone 'C' leaders Eagles went under 7-4 to Waltham Strikers at Mystix Sports Bar, 78 ^3/4 Hagley Park Road, while home team Mystix beat Rowe's Strikers 7-4 in the second match at the same venue.

At Willies, Mercury from Spanish Town defeated Olympic Strikers 7-4 in the first match, while defending champions Eastern All-Stars defeated Dragon 8-3 in their battle of the east clash at Gregory Park in Portmore. Starliners humbled home team The Dip 8-3 as well.

Only two matches are scheduled tomorrow, both at Olympic Strikers. In the first match, Mister C will take on Mercury at 1 p.m. in the Spanish Town derby, while Olympic will oppose Hangover in the second match.

Meanwhile, entries for the 2011 Sistas singles championship will close on Thursday, January 20, with the competition expected to start later this month. Winston 'Wimpy' Lyew of Willies Strikers is the defending singles champion.

Cal's pool tour continues Jan 29

The sixth and penultimate round of the Cal's Manufacturing/Real Vibes Party Wine pool tour takes place on the weekend of January 29 and 30 at Palm Court Sports Bar & Grill, West End Road in Negril.

The fifth tournament, held at Island Delight in Linstead on December 18 and 19, was won by Rhys Chen from Ocho Rios. He defeated Ocheign Carlos 4-1 in the best of seven final to capture the $80,000 prize and trophy.

In the five tournaments played so far, Montego Bay's Noel 'Schoolboy' Blagrove has won two, the first back in August at Hot Shots Sports Bar, 103 Constant Spring Road, and the second in November at Chelsea in Kingston.Calhoun Melville won the second tournament in Mandeville in September, while Jody Mullings captured the fourth in October in Montego Bay.

The tour, which embraces the best players in the island, offers a first prize of $80,000 for each match, second $35,000, third $15,000 and fourth $7,500, with players finishing from fifth to eighth each receiving $2,500. Entry and re-entry fees are $1,000 for each member of the Jamaica Billiards Association, but new members are required to pay $3,000.

Big four continue their unbeaten streak

The big four teams, Caribbean Classic, Right Stuff, Eagle View and Masterpiece, continued their unbeaten run in the Jamaica Domino Federation/Charley's JB Overproof Rum Portmore/St Catherine Domino League last Sunday.

Caribbean Classic, with maximum 20 points from five games, defeated Hurricane 300-289, Eagle View stopped Village Link 300-282, Masterpiece beat Correctional Services 300-272, and Right Stuff crushed Westchester Nuckuz 300-211. In other games, defending champs Fort International defeated Passagefort United 300-272, Ackee Pod (16 points), the fifth-place team, got by Eradication 300-276, Lime Tree Grove defeated Triple X Old Harbour Bay 300-283, Colours Sports Club rushed past Ken's Wildflower 300-275, and Garveymeade snatched their first win, 300-287 over Caymanas Track.

The competition continues tomorrow with nine matches. The feature game is 12th-place Village Link (12 points) against joint leader Right Stuff (20 points) at Mega Way, Portmore Town Centre.

Colours, Ken's, young Dowdie share spotlight

Top cricket clubs Colours International, Ken's Wildflower and Reid's Pen's junior cricketer Courtney Dowdie shared the spotlight at Portmore Cricket Awards ceremony at the Ken's Wildflower Restaurant and Lounge last Wednesday. Colours International won the league title and $80,000, while newcomers Bridgeview were the runners-up.

Ken's Wildflower copped the inaugural Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum 20/20 championship, beating arch-rivals Colours in that final. Dowdie, who plays for Reid's Pen in the Milo U-15 league, won four awards, namely, best batting average (150), most runs in a match (155), most runs in the tournament, and the Under-15 player of the year. Ken's Wildflower won the U-15 category, and were helped by Jameel Bryan who took most wickets (nine) in the competition.

Ken's Wildflower's Junior Stewart copped two awards, for best batting average (80), and for best all-rounder. Another Ken's player, Myron Chin, a veteran left-arm spinner, copped three bowling awards. Colours gained three individual awards for the senior league, in Kemar Marshall, best wicketkeeper, Robert Weir, most runs in a match (88), and Ramone Senior, MVP for league final with 90 runs.

Meanwhile, Andrew Pryce, marketing manager of Wray and Nephew, has committed that his company will be on-board next year, so too Milo, whose representative, Suzanne Wilson-Wong, was unavoidably absent. Milo sponsors the U-15 league. The guest speaker, Gus Logie, the current Jamaica coach, and Paul Campbell, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, also praised the league.

Watson Grove hunt third win

Early leaders Watson Grove (six points) will be hunting their third win in as many matches when they tackle joint second-place team Hellshire United in the LIME-sponsored Portmore Division Two final at the Hellshire field. Match time is 3 p.m.

At Ferdie Neita Park, Daytona tackle Queen's Park at 1 p.m., while East Portmore Portals and Braeton United battle at the venue at 3 p.m.

Frazer's hunt second title

New LIME St Catherine knockout kings, Frazer's Whip, are overwhelming favourites to snatch their second silverware of the season as they face underdogs, Treadways, in the Division One mid-season final at the Spanish Town Prison Oval tomorrow, at 3 p.m. This final will be played before the Major League mid-season final between runaway leaders Black Lions and last year's beaten finalists, Portsmouth, at 5 p.m.

First-aid kits for JSA

The Jamaica Surfing Association (JSA) has received 25 personal first-aid kits from USA's Honor Clothing. The kits will be used as prizes in the JSA's 2011 Youth Development Programme. Three Honor representatives, who were on the island for a five-day surfing trip, brought in the donation.

"These first-aid kits are really appreciated as it forms a point from which our first-aid awareness efforts can jump off," said JSA president Billy Wilmot. "In surfing, where you have such an intimate relationship with nature, awareness of the associated dangers and risks is a vital requirement for a healthy and successful pursuit of the sport. Having these first-aid kits will help remind the youth of those risks and dangers and encourage them to be careful."

JSA is the official governing body for the sport of surfing in Jamaica.

ISSA table tennis

This year's Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) table tennis competition starts next Monday, January 17.

Home-and-away format will be used in the preliminary rounds and these will last until the end of February. This year, the competition has attracted a total of 29 schools, comprising 11 urban and 18 rural schools. The list includes two new entrants in Anchovy and St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS), who have never participated in the competition before; schools such as Dinthill, Clarendon College and Jamaica College, who are returning after a few years' absence; and Norman Manley, who have not played for 15 years. Schools taking part are listed below:

Four urban Under-19 Girls teams: defending champions Meadowbrook, Immaculate, Campion and Hillel - will play round robin and the top two will qualify for the final.

Five urban Under-16 Girls teams: defending champions Campion, Hillel, St Jago, Wolmer's and Immaculate - will play round robin in one group, with the top four progressing to semi-finals.

Eight urban Under-19 Boys teams are divided into two groups and the top two from each group will advance to semi-finals. Group One comprises defending champions Calabar, Campion, Hillel and Jamaica College, while Group Two contains two former champions in Kingston College and Wolmer's, and is completed by St Jago and St George's.

Eleven urban Under-16 Boys teams are divided into two groups, and the top three from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. Group One is made up of defending champions Campion, Calabar, Hillel, Jamaica College and Meadowbrook, while Group Two contains former champions Kingston College, Wolmer's, St Jago, St George's, Ardenne and Norman Manley.

In the rural section, schools are divided into zones, and zone winners in each category will advance to the rural round robin finals. Second-place teams in the zones will qualify for round robin semi-finals, from which the top performers will advance to join the finalists.

Eight rural Under-19 girls teams are in two zones, with the Central Zone containing Glenmuir, Manchester, Belair, DeCarteret and Holmwood; and the North Eastern Zone containing defending champions St Mary High, Titchfield and St Thomas Technical.

Eight rural Under-16 Girls teams are placed into two zones - the Central Zone with defending champions Manchester, Glenmuir, DeCarteret, Clarendon College and STETHS; and the North Eastern Zone with St Mary High, Titchfield and St Thomas Technical.

Eleven rural Under-19 Boys teams are in four zones. Central Zone One contains Manchester, DeCarteret College and Cross Keys; Central Zone Two has Glenmuir, Clarendon College and Holmwood; North Eastern Zone contains St Mary High and Dinthill; and Eastern Zone contains Titchfield, St Thomas Technical and Paul Bogle. Champions Belair are not participating.

Thirteen rural Under-16 boys' teams are in five zones. Central Zone One has Manchester, Cross Keys, DeCarteret and STETHS; Central Zone Two contains Belair, Glenmuir, Clarendon College and Holmwood; North Eastern Zone has defending champions St Mary High, St Mary Technical and Dinthill, Eastern Zone has Titchfield and St Thomas Technical and Western Zone contains Anchovy alone.

Champions, Bodles chase three today

Defending champions Meadows and two-time beaten finalists Bodles will be chasing a third consecutive victory when the two are featured in fairly tough matchups in the South Central Confed Super League today.

Meadows will welcome St Elizabeth's lone entrant, Newell, at Albion Oval, while Bodles will clash with Rivoli at Prison Oval.

Tomorrow's slate will see four games: New Bowens of Clarendon vs Mile Gully; the St Catherine derby between host De la Vega and Newland; Monymusk vs Tru-Juice; and Downs of Manchester vs Naggo Head.

Meadows seemed to have picked up from where they left off last year, getting wins against Downs (4-0) and Monymusk (1-0) last weekend. Bodles, who lost in successive Super League finals in 2008 and 2009, have so far beaten newcomers New Bowens and Mile Gully by 2-1 margins.

In results from last weekend, Rivoli drew 1-1 with Newlands, Naggo Head whipped Tru-Juice 4-1, New Bowens edged De la Vega 1-0 and Newell and Downs finished 2-2 at Hounslow in St Elizabeth.

Manchester Major League

Hillstars and New Green, both former champions, will highlight this weekend's third round of the Captain's Bakery Manchester Major League. The two will clash at Cobbla field tomorrow after coming off good wins last weekend.

New Green rebounded from their shock 1-0 loss to promoted team, Comfort, to spank Georges Valley, another former champion, 3-0. Scorers were Leroy Palmer (25th), Christopher Lucas (57th) and Kashwayne Miller (75th). Hillstars journeyed to the NCU field to beat promoted team Star Liner 2-1.

The final game of last weekend's second round saw Porus edging Kendal 1-0 on a Cleon Barrett goal.

Other games on this weekend are: Kendal vs Mandeville Untied and Comfort vs Porus (today); Young Diamonds vs Georges Valley at Handbury (tomorrow).

Spencer returned as confed chairman

Dale Spencer, a former president of the Manchester FA, and who currently serves as the Jamaica Football Federation's first vice-president, was elected unopposed recently to serve for a third consecutive term as chairman of the South Central Confederation. The term duration is two years.

Dalton Wint, president of Manchester FA, and Ricardo Valentine were also returned as general secretary and treasurer, respectively.

At the confed's AGM, which was hosted at the Manchester FA offices at the Rada building in Mandeville, FIFA's recommendation that the JFF streamlines its operations were also favourably embraced.

According to Spencer, the main challenge facing the confed was finding sponsorship for its senior competitions. The Super League has gone unsponsored since Super Plus withdrew in 2007.

Clarendon Major League starts today

The 2011 season of the Clarendon Claro Major League, sponsored by The Captain's Bakery, will kick off today at Turner's Oval with a double-header.

At 1 p.m., Spartan Athletic tackle Rock River and at 3:30, following the official opening ceremony, Wood Hall face Freetown.

Among the personalities expected at today's launch will be MP for North Clarendon Pearnel Charles; Warren Newby, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; Claro's Andre Balbour and Wayne Soltau of The Captain's Bakery.

Ten teams will contest the league - the others being Original Hazard, York Town, Milk River, Gimme-Me-Bit, Gayle and Longwood FC.