Jamaica Association upset Cavaliers in T20 thriller

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Jamaican Association loosened Spring Garden Cavaliers’ stranglehold on the Commercial Cricket League when they beat their Caribbean rivals by five runs in a high-scoring Twenty20 League Cup thriller at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Although new league president Barry Richards, who was forced to come out of retirement to help his old team out, smashed a half-century and took 2-34, ten-man Cavaliers narrowly failed to overhaul the Jamaican total of 181-5 spearheaded by an explosive knock of 92 by Aaron Adams.

Keniek Wallen was the Jamaican hero at the death, conceding just two runs and claiming a wicket in the final over to keep Cavaliers at bay.

“The Jamaicans deserved it. I’m happy for them,” Richards said.

“It’s good for the Commercial League rather than have one team dominate like last year.

“I had to un-retire for this game as Cavaliers were short. They had only nine men when they called me so I had to go. A lot of the players are overseas or were working.”

Cavaliers completed an unprecedented clean sweep of the league’s four main trophies last season, and although they retained one of them when they narrowly beat Forties in the season-opening Memorial Trophy in early May they trail Forties by three points at the halfway stage of the league programme which resumes this weekend.

The Jamaicans did it the hard way in Sunday’s double-header as they first had to see off Devonshire Stars in a preliminary round game before taking on Cavaliers in the semi-finals.

Their victory has earned them a spot in the League Cup final on August 12 when they will face either North Village or Forties, who meet in the second semi-final earlier the same day.

Adams’ swashbuckling knock at number three included six sixes and seven fours as he found good support from Wallen (22) and Presley Millwood (21).

Richards responded to the challenge, however, hammering six sixes and five fours in his 64 at number four, while Trevor Haynes made 23 and hard-hitting Craig Smith was left unbeaten on 38 as Cavaliers closed on 176-6.

Michael Campbell (2-42) and Neil Anglin (2-35) were the winners’ most successful bowlers.

“It was a beautiful game, a thriller all the way,” Jamaican Association spokesman Glenmore Barrett said.

The Jamaicans beat Cavaliers by four wickets with two balls to spare in the 2010 League Cup final but have played second fiddle to their rivals since.

“It was payback we haven’t beaten them for a while,” Barrett added.

Jamaican Association crushed Stars by 110 runs in Sunday’s opener.

Millwood (49), newcomer Khiry Easton (24) and Omar Amory (22) led the way in a total of 186-8 and then restricted Stars to 76-7 in reply, Dion Wainwright making 26 and Worrell Bean 21.

Mitchell DeShield (3-19) and Gregory Grant (2-18) were Stars’ best bowlers while Ian Coke (2-7) and Wallen (2-17) led the way for the Jamaicans.

Sunday’s matches see Forties hosting Stars at Devonshire Rec and North Village taking on Jamaican Association at Shelly Bay. Cavaliers have a bye.

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