For the second year running, Westmoreland Wizards were able to carve out a play-off victory and avoid relegation from the nation's premier two-day cricket competition, the Jamaica Cricket Association's (JCA) SuperCricket League.

The Wizards finished seventh in this season's championship, and as was the case in 2008, had to play-off with the runners-up of the second division JCA Senior Cup. They avoided demotion from the top flight after gaining a first innings win over the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Brigades on yesterday's final day at Melbourne Oval.

Fine bowling performance

The JDF, who were beaten to the automatic Senior Cup promotion spot by eventual winners, St Ann Cricket Association, resumed Sunday on a competitive 64-2 in chase of Westmoreland's challenging 268.

However, thanks to a fine bowling performance from former national pacer, Evon McInnis, the soldiers were dismissed for 211, 58 runs short.

McInnis, bowling with sharp aggression, claimed 3-64. Avroy Harris, who was 27 not out overnight, made 59. Joseph Palmer, 28 and Mark Gray, 30, made most runs for the Brigades.

"It's just reward for the hard work we have put in, as we always knew that we had a good team," said Wizards manager, David Campbell.

"We don't seem to get ourselves together until our backs are against the wall, and if we don't change this, one of these days our luck is going to run out. It (the play-offs) is something that we don't want to get too used to and hope it will never happen again," he added.

The Wizards defeated 2008 Senior Cup runners-up Kensington in the play-offs last season.

The JDF, after resuming on their overnight position, did well early when Harris and Palmer put on 78 for third wicket and took the score to 122-2.

But as soon as the partnership was broken things began to go down hill for the soldiers, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

"Our middle order batting let us down on what was a flat and good batting track after a fairly good start," said JDF coach, Steve Wallace.

"But having said that, we need change our approach to cricket at the JDF, as most of our players are over 30. What we plan to do over the next year is add some young players and build a fighting team, as we really have some talented players here including left-arm pacer, Sheldon Cotterel, who everybody is talking about," he explained.

Cotterel, bowling impressively, quick grabbed 2-42, and Anthony Kepple, 1-22, in Westmoreland's second innings, which folded 98-3 when stumps were drawn with Andre Andrews 45 not out, and Rawle Wynter 39 not out.