SDC making plans to resume community cricket next summer

Following the postponement of this year's competition due to the COVID 19 pandemic, organizers of the Social Development Commission (SDC) Community Cricket said it will be back to its usual start next year.

Executive Director of SDC Dr Dwayne Vernon said despite the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the country, his organisation has been putting plans in place to ensure that the competition, which is one of the major cricket tournaments in the island, bowls off at the usual start date in March.

"Next year, we are going to be starting at our usual time, and so we will be having the rallies between March and April, and so by May the full competition will begin," said Vernon.

"I am very hopeful that this will work out, and I am confident that this will happen because we have put in place protocols even before now; but because of the recently spike in the COVID-19 virus we had to delay it, but I am comfortable that we will be able to have our regular schedule next."

GREEN LIGHT

Jamaica Cricket Association was recently given the green light by the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the Jamaica Scorpions to return to training.

Vernon underscored that this is a clear indication that local cricket competitions will return very soon and, therefore, they have been working assiduously to mobilise teams to get ready for next year.

"I am hoping that this year's postponement will not affect the competition next year, and so what we will be doing every weekend before the competition starts, is to try and get them to start playing at the local level," he said.

"Luckily for us, the Jamaica Cricket Association is an excellent partner, and so any plans that they have, we will be able to support them between January and March, before we start our official competition, to get the players back on the field," he said.

A total of 225 teams took part in last year's competition, which was played throughout the island.

- Robert Bailey