Jamaican cricketers to light up T20 league in Antigua

Some of Jamaica's international and local cricketers will be among several overseas stars who will turn out for clubs in the Cool & Smooth Twenty20 (T20) explosion in Antigua.

The tournament will see Antigua's eight top cricket clubs vie for the coveted Cool & Smooth title and the grand prize of EC$23,000 (approximately J$1.3 million).

The clubs are the Bethesda Golden Eagles, New Winthorpes Lions, Empire Nation, Boland Blasters, Pigotts Crushers, Jennings Tigers, All Saints Pythons and defending champions Liberta BlackHawks.

The BlackHawks have been the most successful team in the competition, winning the tournament five times, including three straight titles from 2015 to 2017.

West Indies and Jamaica T20 pacer Sheldon Cottrell will be back for a second run at the tournament with Bethesda Golden Eagles, which also have Melbourne Cricket Club batsman Saddique Henry on their roster.

The pair will be joined by the United States of America's left-arm spinner Nosthusha Kenjige as the three overseas members of Bethesda's squad, to be captained by local Devon Thomas.

Defending champions Liberta Black Hawks will also be vying among the eight teams for the championship, and they will have the hard-hitting Kensington Cricket Club opener Leroy Lugg in their squad, which will be captained by Kadeem Phillip and also features West Indies players Rahkeem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh.

National spinner Dennis Bulli will feature along with Scotland captain Richie Berrington for Boland Blasters, to be led by Tariem Tonge, while Melbourne Cricket Club all-rounder Shalome Parnell will suit up for Pigotts Crushers, captained by Elroy Francis.

Director of Cool and Smooth T20 Amer Hourani highlighted the excitement around the tournament and plans for the competition.

"Last year's tournament was a huge success, but we plan to make it bigger and better in our 10th year. This competition has been a great way of developing not only Antiguan but West Indian talent and preparing them for the regional and international levels of cricket. All I can say is, you do not want to miss the Cool & Smooth T20 this year," Hourani said.