Anthony foster, Freelance Writer

( L - R ) Chris Gayle, André Creary and Jerome Taylor - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Apart from the success of the Under-15 team to the West Indies Championship, there weren't many positives for Jamaica's cricket in 2006.

In April, the André Creary-led Jamaica Under-15 team won four of five matches on their way to title honours in Antigua.

The full squad was Creary, Marlon Pinnock, Kennar Lewis, Sheldon Samuels, Patrick Harty, Oshane Jones, Rajiv Service, Courtney Allen, Kirk Harris, Garth Garvey, Romeo Dunca, Okeno Lodge, Odean Ewart, and Jermaine Blackwood.

The Andre Coley-coached boys and Robert Lewis-managed team beat Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Guyana, and Trinidad while their match against Barbados was badly affected by rain. They finished with 18 points.

Losing season

As for the seniors, Jamaica starting the 2006 season as defending champions in the Carib Beer Series, finished bottom of the tables on 12 points, losing outright to Guyana and champions Trinidad and Barbados.

Only Carlton Baugh (234), Hinds (232), Marlon Samuels (229) and Tamar Lambert (215) scored over 200 runs last season, while Gareth Breese (20), Andrew Richardson (13) and Jerome Taylor (12) took most wickets.

After the season, coach Robert Haynes resigned as national head coaching, clearing the way for Junior Bennett, who was in charge of the team for the Stanford 20/20.

Again,Jamaica performed badly, as after beating Bermuda, they fell to Guyana.

Locally, St. Catherine CC won the Supreme Ventures Challenge Final and League titles, while Kensington defeated Melbourne in the all-island limited overs final.

Trelawny finished ahead of Kensington to take the Red Stripe Championship crown.

Unstoppable Holmwood

In the schoolboy competitions Holmwood Technical were once again unstoppable, winning their fourth straight Headley Cup and Spaulding Cup tiles. Eltham took the Grace Shield and the All-Island and Urban Under-16 titles, while Vere collected the rural Under-16 title.

New Hope won the Jamaica National all-island all age school title while Port Maria won the Primary section.

Internationally, Jerome Taylor and Chris Gayle were Jamaica's bright sparks for the West Indies.

In six Tests, three against India at home and three against Pakistan away, Taylor claimed 27 wickets at 28 runs apiece, which included a match haul of 9-95 at Sabina Park.

At the Champions Trophy in India in October his pace, accuracy and movement earned him a hat-trick against eventual champions Australia. He ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 13 and helped the West Indies to the final.

Meanwhile, Gayle was the tournament's leading run-getter with 474 runs at an average of 79 with three centuries. He also took eight wickets.