Jermaine Lannaman, Freelance Writer

Kensington's Dennis Bulli. - File

Kensington and Hanover will square off at Sabina Park this weekend for the right to be called 2008 JCA Senior Cup cricket champions.

In what is expected to be a tight contest between two unbeaten teams, the game will get under way at 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. If the reactions from both camps are anything to go by, it should be a good match for ardent cricket lovers.

'Ready to play'

"We are ready and the hope is that we will continue to play good cricket," said David Bernard Sr, coach of Kensington, whose team will enter the match as slight favourites. "It feels good to be in the final as our intention is to go back to the bigger league (Super League). We don't want to go into a play-off."

The winners of the match-up will gain direct entry to next season's Super League, whereas the runners-up will face Westmoreland in a play-off for the league's eighth and final spot.

Westmoreland finished seventh, a place ahead of relegated JDF, in this season's inaugural Super League.

But if confidence and high expectations are anything to go by, Hanover, similar to Kensington, are up to the task, and according to their coach, Michael Clarke, if Kensington play their best cricket and they play theirs, it will be a done deal.

"I think we have the better batting, bowling and fielding team. We are ready, mentally and physically, and we want to do this for the club and the parish."

Confidence

Clarke's confidence comes from the fact that included in their line-up is a number of former and present national youth players, who have been performing well all season.

These include Holmwood Technical's Jermaine Blackwood and Kenar Lewis, who were recently named to Jamaica's Under-19 team for the upcoming tournament in Barbados, and captain Omar Campbell, Bruce Blackwood, who have in the past played for the country.

Left-arm unorthodox spinner, Dennis Bulli, who is Kensington's captain and the competition's leading wicket-taker; in addition to batsman Rasheed Outar; and national Under-19 selectees, pacer Jermaine Cole and batsman Horace Miller; will lead the men from Preston Road.