Duo looks to put St Thomas in a spin

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Spinners Dennis Bulli and Akeem Dewar will face their toughest test to date when their team, Kensington, goes up against fellow Group A leaders, St Thomas, in the feature clash of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Senior Cup, at Goodyear Oval today and tomorrow.

The duo has so far taken a combined total of 28 of a possible 40 wickets in two rounds of matches.

However, against a St Thomas team which has been equally efficient in their games, it is expected that they will have a bigger challenge.

Bulli, who in the last round etched his name into the national record books when he took six wickets in six balls against Portland, has so far claimed 16 wickets with his left-arm unorthodox spin; while leg-spinner Dewar, who recently made his first-class debut for Jamaica in the just-concluded Supreme Ventures Sports Betting Jamaica Cricket Festival, has taken 12.

Both St Thomas and Kensington lead the group with maximum 12 points.

"The last game we played Bulli and Dewar did exceptionally well, and we hope they can continue in a similar vein," said Kensington coach, David Bernard Sr.

"St Thomas are at their home ground and it will be a bit difficult to beat them, but I believe we have the necessary players to do it," he added.

Play to potential

In addition to Dewar and Bulli, Kensington will look to West Indies ICC World Twenty20 reserve David Bernard Jr, Horace Miller and Maurice Kepple.

St Thomas, on the other hand, will bank on batsmen Oneil Wright, Marvin Darlington and Christie Jones, and all-rounder Steve Logan.

"Our players have been together from the age of 15 and are now 21 or 22 and are maturing, and if we play to potential, despite not having our main batsman in Jamie Trenchfield, who is playing cricket in England, we can defeat them," said Philbert Trenchfield, president of St Thomas Cricket Association.

In other matches, Portland will host St Catherine CA at Folly Oval, Boys' Town will travel to Preston Road to face Lucas in Group A, while in Group B, Police will entertain the Jamaica Defence Force at Elleston Road, Hanover journey to G.C. Foster, and St Mary host Clarendon at Eden Gardens.