The Jamaica Energy Partners Cricket League resumed on Sunday, July 24, 2022, at the Port Esquivel Sports Club in St Catherine after a two-year hiatus due to the novel Coronavirus.
The much-anticipated league experienced a few changes, including the format, length of the season and number of participating teams. As is customary, Jamaica Energy Partners, the top power producer, joined the St Catherine Cricket Association for the opening match between Innswood and Old Harbour.
In his opening remarks, President of the St Catherine Cricket Association, Milholland Barker, thanked JEP for its continued sponsorship through “thick and thin”, noting that he expects this season to be just as exciting as previous years with the adaptation of the twenty-twenty (T-20) format.
“We have had some outstanding cricketers coming out of this league representing not just the parish but the country and, by extension, the region. We value this partnership and want to partner with the cricket association and you [the players] so that we can bring back the love for the game.
Cricket is a gentleman’s sport, meaning people must have honour and go about themselves with some amount of decorum. At the end of the day, we need cricket to be back on top where it was. So, I encourage you all to hone your skill, represent your parish, country and aim to represent the region,” said JEP’s President & CEO, Wayne McKenzie, OD.
After the greetings, McKenzie’s traditional bowl-off signalled the official start of the season, and it set the tone for the riveting match-up between the opening teams.
Despite the changes, the resumption of the games represents JEP’s unwavering support of the game and our commitment to the development of Jamaicans.
JEP contributed J$1 million.
For the past 21 years, the company has been contributing to the growth of the sport and has witnessed the development of local players such as Andre Russell, Nkrumah Bonner, and Shakar Thomas, who have represented Jamaica locally, regionally, and internationally.
