Yohan Blake to appear in Portmore T20 cricket league

THE 2015 edition of the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum/Portmore Cricket Association (PCA) T20 cricket championship bowls off today with a full slate of matches across four venues.

A total of 15 teams will vie for the title over four rounds in a knockout format with the exception of Reid's Pen, who withdrew from the competition.

Defending champion Portmore Pines CC will take on Gregory Park CC in the opening match at the Bridgeport cricket field, while last year's runners-up GC Foster College will battle Passage Fort in the second game at the same venue.

Waterford CC will face Greater Portmore CC in the first game and the second game will see former champions Kens Wildflower squaring off with newcomers YB Afraid, which will feature top sprinter Yohan Blake at the Portsmonth Cricket Field.

At GC Foster College, Colours International will battle Portsmonth in the curtain-raiser, while Washington CC will meet rivals Braeton Red Caps in the second game.

Hamilton Gardens will take on Belmont CC in the lone game at the Waterford High School.

With the withdrawal of Reid's Pen, 2012 champion Bridgeview automatically advance to the second round.

The first games begin at 10:00 am and the second set of matches will start at 2:00 pm.

The competition will run to Sunday, March 8.

The competition will feature noted past national and past West Indies players as well.

Last season, Darren Powell, Tamar Lambert, Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Horace Miller and Andre Russell, to name a few, took part in the community-based league.

Title sponsor Wray & Nephew White Overproof White Rum, in its seventh consecutive year sponsoring the tournament, has committed sponsorship valued at $1 million.

The champions will walk away with $70,000, while the runner-up will pocket $30,000 for their effort.

President of the PCA, Courtney Francis, urged stakeholders within Portmore to climb on board in order to assist with the development of PCA as it seeks to employ and empower young people from communities in and around Portmore.

He will put fanniesin the seats