The Kingston Wharves Under-15 Cricket Competition is Back

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kingston Wharves Under-15 Cricket competition made a comeback today, with the launch of the 2022 season at the Jamaica Defence Force Cricket Field at Up Park, South Camp Road.  

Simone Murdock, Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager at Kingston Wharves, welcomed the restart of the tournament. “This is the 31st staging of the island-wide competition and Kingston Wharves has been here from the beginning. We would have celebrated 33 years, if the pandemic did not disrupt the activities over the last two years.”

Mrs. Murdock explained that during the break for the under-15 competition, Kingston Wharves maintained an unbroken partnership the Jamaica Cricket Association by providing support for scouting and special training camps to select Jamaica’s representatives for the West Indies Under-19 squad. “This was a no brainer for us, because some of the very players that we helped to nurture in the Under-15 over the years, were among those in preparation to display their talent on the world stage in the Under-19.

Noting Kingston Wharves’ deep interest in youth cricket Mrs. Murdock said, “Our commitment is not just about watching youngsters play cricket and getting caught up in the excitement of the matches….The essence of why we do this is to foster the development and empowerment of our youngsters and direct them toward positive paths,” Mrs. Murdock stated.  

Mrs. Murdock pointed to the impact of the competition on the lives of participants, citing former under 15 players such as Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Wavel Hinds, Chadwick Walton, Brandon King, Rovman Powell and others as those who stand out for making their mark on the world stage.

She underscored, “The Kingston Wharves group is proud to know that we play a role in honing youngsters’ cricketing skills, but more so in preparing them for leadership and building their character to represent their country under a global spotlight.” 

  Encouraging the current participants to make the most of the experience, Mrs. Murdock urged the boys to “learn all you can, compete hard but have fun. Also, remember to practice great sportsmanship, showing respect to your fellow players and umpires, and I wish each of you great success,” she said.

Mrs. Murdock also commended the Jamaica Cricket Association for its commitment to the competition and the development of cricket in Jamaica and the region. “Our support for this competition is made easier because we have excellent and dedicated partners in the JCA…Keep up the great work.”

CEO of the JCA Courtney Francis who came up through the U-15 Competition told the young cricketers s that a bright future awaited them. “A couple years from now you could be playing with the West Indies or with some other franchises around the world. So we expect you to perform well and be disciplined… As young men you have started a journey to become better citizens of this country and where else to start but at the JDF, the epitome of discipline.” 

While urging the players to, “Play fair, make friends, have fun and enjoy the tournament,” he told the adults to ensure that the boys remained hydrated while playing in the heat and not be stressed.

The competition opened with a match between Lucas and Kensington, and will see 17 teams with close to 200 players playing over 50 matches in several rounds. Cricket Operations Manager, Oneil Cruikshank said while the pandemic unfortunately prevented three teams from participating in this year’s tournament, the numbers teams involved is still encouraging given the challenges of the past two years.  

He also noted that the age range for the competition was adjusted to Under-16 to allow the youngsters who did not have the opportunity to play during the pandemic break, to have the chance to participate.