Digicel 20/20 semi-final today

It was the same old story in the Business House cricket competition last Sunday - bad weather forcing a cancellation of the Digicel 20/20 semi-final match between Cable and Wireless and Jamalco at Chalmers Avenue, without a ball being bowled.

The Business House Cricket Board has rescheduled this match for today at C&W Sports Club, Chalmers Avenue (off Molynes Road) starting at 11 a.m.

With high-riding C&W now weakened by the absence of new national selectees Yannick Elliott and Horace Miller, both on tour with the Jamaica team in the regional one-day competition, Jamalco will be no pushover. Veteran players Winston 'Sala' Osbourne, Collis Johnson and Derrick Spence, along with Dwayne Mahabeer, Fitzroy Beaumont, Dwight Stewart and Hopeton Shand could pave the way for victory, but C&W will have the services of Melbourne Super League players Andre McCarty, Damion Jacobs and Dave Johnson and along with all-rounder Fitzroy Peterkin should still prove a formidable force. The winner of this match will face St Ann Jamaica Bauxite in the final at a date and venue to be announced.

All-Business House domino team coming

The National Association of Domino Bodies (NADB) is in the process of selecting an all-Business House team to play matches against teams locally and possibly abroad if funds can be secured.

This was disclosed by the association's vice-president Humbert Davis, who is regional coordinator for Kingston and St. Andrew.

Davis said the NADB is planning to introduce a one and one Business House competition from as early as January in an effort to bring greater awareness to the rules and regulations of the game. This, he said, would be a prelude to the Business House competition which should start by April with play in divisions one and Two as usual.

Tank-Weld are Division One and KO champions this year, with Port Authority the Division Two champions.

Davis further disclosed that the NADB will be making an effort to bring back the all-Media competition which was not played this year. He felt that was the reason why CVM-TV and the RJR Communications Group did not enter the competition this year - especially CVM who enjoyed a successful season in 2007, having won the Division Two and champion of champion titles.

Business House football marks 70th anniversary

The Business House Football Association (BHFA) is celebrating its 70th anniversary and at Tuesday's presentation ceremony at the Scotiabank Sports Club, Liguanea, former president Richard 'Roots' Nathan traced the long and colourful history of the competition.

He revealed that the competition was founded in 1938 by some shippers and merchants in Kingston, but only started to make an impact during the early 1960s to 1970. In 1974, Lauriston McDonald became president and this saw a boom in the competition. Nathan said the restructuring of the competition came on stream in 1984 with the introduction of divisions one, two and three. He recalled that in 1985 the competition attracted as many as 51 teams and thanks to the contribution of the late Abe Alexander, this grew to a record 57 teams in 1987. He said the association was a trendsetter in local football, having instituted the three points for a win feature long before it became fashionable, and also was the first football association to have a woman president in Lorna Franklyn.

Nathan, in closing, said the BHFA has contributed a lot to the development of football in Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Garnett Page was presented with the referee of the year award and Shane Harrison the assistant referee award on a night when Carib Cement walked away with the division one trophy, Challenge Trophy and Dress Parade award. Division two campaigners Petrojam claimed the Knockout trophy and Jamaica National Building Society the division two trophy.

Guest speaker was former Prime Minister Edward Seaga who is chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association.

Also speaking was the president of the BHFA, Wayne Shaw, along with KSAFA general secretary Gregory Simms, who brought greetings on behalf of that body.

Digicel vs Broilers in 30-over clash

Digicel will oppose Jamaica Broilers in the semi-final of the Best Dressed Chicken 30-over cricket competition at Kensington Park this morning starting at 11:00.The winners will meet St Ann Jamaica Bauxite in the final.

Both teams are well balanced on paper, but Jamaica Broilers, despite the absence of Keith Hibbert on national duties, should start favourites with a bowling attack comprising the promising young pacer Aaron Daley Jr and former Kensington player Robert Turner, former West Indies Under-19 player Shacoya Thomas and Wayne Morgan.