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Wright salutes SDC Community T20 ... says competition helping to spread the sport

Published:Saturday | July 23, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Dwayne Vernon (left), executive director (acting) of the Social Development Commission, and Chairman Lloyd Pommells giving a quick batting lesson to Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange, at the press launch of the National Twenty20 Community Cricket Competition at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on Thursday.- Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

President of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), Lyndel Wright, says his association is pleased with the progress of the Social Development Commission (SDC) Community Twenty20 Competition, which is now entering its final stages of the 2011 season.

Speaking at Thursday's launch of the national stage of the competition at the Knutsford Court Hotel, Wright, who was recently elected president of the association, said the competition is properly organised and helping to spread the game into numerous communities.

"We at the JCA are pleased that the SDC Community T20 exists, as via this competition the sport is able to inspire and motivate many," said Wright.

"It is organised, and from all reports is run in a disciplined manner. These are hallmarks of a great competition and it is no wonder that so many players, national and otherwise, chose to further hone their skills by participating," he added.

The competition which, according to the organisers, engages two-thirds of the 783 communities in Jamaica, will see the national stage comprising 16 teams - 14 parish champions, plus Portmore and the best second-place team.

The teams will then challenge each other in round-robin format beginning this weekend, with the winners advancing to the competition's quarter-finals, which is slated to begin on Sunday, August 21.

knockout round

The quarter-finals, as well as the semi-finals, will be contested using a knockout format, with the feature quarter-final game slated for Jacks River in the community of Eden Park, St Mary.

The Ultimate Cricket Ground in St Ann will then host the feature semi-final clash on the weekend of Sunday, August 28, while the final, which is slated for Alpart Sports Club in St Elizabeth, will be staged on Sunday, September 4.

The overall winners will take home $600,000, runners-up $300,000, third place $200,000, while the team finishing fourth will pocket $100,000.

The competition, in addition to its cricketing value, forms part of the SDC mandate of enlightening Jamaicans about the power of community intervention, the Government's Vision 2030 Jamaica campaign, and the agencies' services.