MANDEVILLE, MANCHESTER:
ST. ELIZABETH Technical (STETHS) predictably wrapped up an 18th hold on the Wilco Headley Cup on the stroke of lunch on yesterday's final day but not before giving their fans a major scare.
Scores: STETHS 190 and 7-4. Holmwood 107 and 89.
Set just seven runs to get after Holmwood folded in the early morning session for 89, the Junior Bennett-coached side lost four wickets including that of captain Brenton Parchment, run out going for a third run, as panic set in.
The drama began half an hour before lunch and was led by Damion Morgan's
hostile three over spell from the scoreboard end. His first ball had opener Shawn Findlay ducking and the second nipped the edge of his bat and was well caught by Lancelot Warren in gully.
Nikita Miller, who usually bats at No. 6, was promoted ahead of Parchment and was pelted with two short deliveries before presenting Warren with another diving take at gully with the last ball of the over.
With two wickets down, STETHS got their first run courtesy of a wide signalled outside off stump and claimed their second when Odayne Ewart tickled the second ball off his legs to fine leg, before Romesh Brown produced four dot balls to West Indies Under-15 batsman Howard Powell.
In the next over, Morgan was still on fire even when Ewart managed a leg bye off his first delivery and STETHS moved within three runs of a victory. After being peppered with three short deliveries, Powell pulled and was caught at backward square leg by Arden Frue for a duck.
Parchment came in and promptly top edged to mid-on and went for three but was well short of his ground at the bowler's end as STETHS slipped to an unbelievable five runs for four wickets.
Brown then produced a maiden to Rayon Goss, before Ewart nudged Morgan to midwicket to set off wild cheers from the STETHS fans while leaving their bewildered counterparts to wonder what might have been had there been a few more runs on the tins.
