Melbourne, St Elizabeth in Junior Cup finale

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

The battle for the right to be called JCA all-island Junior Cup champions will take place today and tomorrow at Kensington Park between urban area winners Melbourne Cricket Club and their rural area counterparts, St Elizabeth Cricket Association.

In what is expected to close encounter, Melbourne, who defeated St Catherine CC by an innings and 12 runs in the urban area final last weekend, will look to sidelined national batsman Yannick Elliot, captain Ryan Strachan, all-rounder Tafari Williams and new recruit, fast bowler Jowayne Robinson.

"I am hoping that we will continue in the same vein that we have been operating all season. We got everything together in the last match and we are hoping that this will take place once again," said Strachan.

"We will be playing a good team. For them to win the rural competition, they must be a reasonably balanced squad, but I back my players to step up and answer the call," he added.

St Elizabeth, on the other hand, who got the better of St Catherine Cricket Association by nine wickets in the rural area decider, will bank their hopes on national Under-19 captain, Paul Palmer Jr, and in-form national youth leg-spinner, Donovan Nelson.

"We played a very good game in the rural area final and we are expecting a similar performance in the all-island. It will be tough but we are up to it," said St Elizabeth coach, Clive Ledgister.