By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
NORMAN Manley's off-spinner Nicholas Ferron produced a superb bowling performance to lead his team to a thrilling two-run victory over Spanish Town and their first championship win in the Corporate Area's top schoolboy league cricket competition, the Grace Shield Premier League, at Melbourne Oval yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
NORMAN Manley's off-spinner Nicholas Ferron produced a superb bowling performance to lead his team to a thrilling two-run victory over Spanish Town and their first championship win in the Corporate Area's top schoolboy league cricket competition, the Grace Shield Premier League, at Melbourne Oval yesterday.
In so doing they became the first team to win the Premier League and A League in the same season.
The 13-year-old Ferron, who bowled 26.4 overs in two spells, recorded career-best figures of six for 46 to spearhead the dismissal of Spanish Town for 234 off 104.4 overs, this replying to Norman Manley's 236 off 86.5 overs.
They had reduced the Spanish Town side to 75 for four and 179 for seven, but then had a hard time wrapping up the innings as captain Wayne Morgan, 66, led a led a desperate battle for St. Catherine-based school.
Resuming on their overnight 46 for two, captain Dave Johnson, who took the first two wickets late on the opening afternoon, combined with Yanick Elliott (1-41) to remove Iva Johnosn, nine, and Ricardo Howe, 34, within 20 runs of each other.
Norman Manley, however, had to wait until 51 more runs were added before getting another wicket when Ricardo Ennis, 17, played over a delivery from Ferron which never got up.
Ferron, who is also the school's Under-14 captain, removed Kevon Goldson, 11, shortly before lunch.
Shortly after, Morgan brought up his half century and along with Brian Wright, took their team to the end of the first session without further loss to 160 for six at lunch.
After the interval, Morgan and Wright started to look more comfortable against the Norman Manley attack and with the absence of medium pacer Dave Johnson, who was told not to take field by coach Carl Stephens, the bowling became weaker.
With the score on 179, Spanish Town suffered a big blow when Morgan misread a delivery from Ferron which went the other way to take the edge and into the hands of Domain Wilson at first slip.
After that, Norman Manley had a worrying wait as Wright and Junior McKenzie added 37 runs for the eighth-wicket, while playing some beautiful strokes.
However, Ferron returned for a second spell, bowled a good line and length and had McKenzie caught at mid-wicket by Nicholas Bowen for 29, followed by Osey Stephens for four at 224 for nine.
With Wright, who was left not out on 29, still at the crease and Spanish Town needing another 13 runs, Spanish Town still had a chance for victory.
Norman Manley threw out all the stops to gain the last wicket, using three bowlers from the southern end as Ferron held up the other. Victory finally came when last man Markon Guy played a catch off Ferron to the diving short extra cover fielder, Marvin Lobban, who made 90 on the opening day.
Captain Dave Johnson of the victorious Norman Manley team accepts the Grace Shield from Paul Mitchell, Finance Director of Jamaica International Insurance Brokers Limited, while teammates look on at the post-match presentation at Melbourne Oval yesterday.
