Bennett Challenging ‘Billy’ Heaven for JCA Leadership

The leadership of the Jamaica Cricket Association will be on the line on Thursday when 99 delegates go to the polls to decide whether incumbent President Wilford “Billy” Heaven should be given a fifth straight term at the helm or to give first vice president Dr. Donovan Bennett his first term in office.

The two will face off for local cricket’s top job at the Jamaica Cricket Association’s annual general meeting and voting congress at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston starting at 11am.

Heaven, the chief executive officer of the State-run CHASE Fund, has been at the JCA helm for over a decade.

He first took power after defeating Milton Henry in 2013, then turned back the challenges of Fritz Harris in 2016 and Mark Neita in 2019. He was returned unopposed in 2021.

Bennett, the chairman of the Cricket West Indies medical panel, says Jamaica has declined as a cricketing force in the region and that’s his main motivation to set things right.

Bennett told Nationwide Sports today that he is confident of winning, however he’s mindful that elections are won on the day.

Bennett, who is attached to St. Elizabeth cricket , says he also enjoys the support of more than half the JCA board members.

Dr. Donovan Bennett.

For full disclosure we tried without success to get Heaven for a comment on the election.

Dr. Bennett has on his slate the likes of Fritz Harris and Dr. Akshai Mansingh as his first and second vice presidents respectively and Kerry Scott for the post of Treasurer.