JAMAICA'S PRIME Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, yesterday officially launched the final phase of the Social Development Commission's (SDC) National Community Cricket Championship with the bowling of the first ball in a ceremony at Jamaica House lawns at Old Hope Road.

The championship started on April 8. Teams in various communities from each parish played in an elimination competition from which 16 sides representing each of the 14 parishes were chosen to compete in a round-robin, inter-parish tournament to chose the 14 champions and two wild cards that would play in the National Community Cricket Championship which begins on September 2. The final is scheduled for the new Trelawny stadium on November 25.

The teams crowned parish champions are: Roehampton - St. James; Granville - Trelawny; Sherwood Forest - Portland; Wood Park - St. Mary, Content - St. Ann; Lakes Pen - St. Catherine; Dallas Strikers - St. Andrew; Tivoli Gardens - Kingston; Heartease - St. Thomas; Broughton - Westmoreland; Elgin Town - Hanover; Lititz/Comma Pen - St. Elizabeth; Comfort - Manchester, and Race Course - Clarendon.

The two wild cards were Annotto Bay from St. Mary and Uprising from St. Elizabeth.

The Prime Minister thanked the SDC for its involvement in the event.

"Activities like 'curry goat cricket' foster a sense of togetherness in communities," said Mrs. Simpson Miller.

"If we are to fix the country, fixing the community is where it all begins," she said. Gary Pink, captain of Tivoli Gardens, sees the competition as an opportunity to boost the community's team preparation for playing in the Jamaica Cricket Association's Super Cup.