By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterNAIN, St. Elizabeth
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Holmwood Technical are in total control of their WILCO Sports-sponsored rural area Headley Cup schoolboy cricket final against many-time champions St. Elizabeth Technical entering today's second day at Alpart Sports Club.
At stumps in the three-day final, the scoreboard reads: STETHS 155 all out; Holmwood 114 for two.
Electing to bat after winning the toss, STETHS were going well at 50 for one with only Ricardo Knight, six, back in the pavilion. However, within a few minutes, disaster struck when Ziggy Levy and captain Donovan Sinclair combined to reduce the Santa Cruz-based team to 57 for five.
The struggle started when Davian Davidson, who replaced Knight, fell leg before to a straight one from Levy at 51 for two. Three runs later, opener Zanife Fowler provided Levy with his second wicket and Blackwood with an easy catch.
In making 24, Fowler, the only player to score a century for Jamaica in regional Under-15 cricket, since its inception in 1996 batted for more than an hour and a half, hitting only one four off 82 deliveries.
Legspinner and captain, Sinclair, brother of Jamaica player Matthew Sinclair came into play by removing top batsman Howard Powell, a member of the Championship West Indies Under-15 World Cup team in 2000, for two and Damion Ebanks, also for two.
89 FOR FIVE AT LUNCH
However, a 67-run sixth-wicket stand between Nickoy Samuels and Richard Thomas ensured that STETHS, with 19 titles to their name, reached the 100 mark without further loss. The two batted with a lot of determination and in the process took STETHS to 89 for five at lunch, Samuels, eight, and Thomas on 24.
Upon resumption, captain Sinclair changed around his bowlers, giving them two and three-over spells, which in the end produced success for the Manchester school. After batting for 134 minutes, in which he faced 92 deliveries, Thomas was trapped in front for 42.
STETHS' lower order continued to battle for runs as Samuels led the tail. However, with the score on 145, Samuels was undone by a beauty from Domain Sangster, which signalled the end was close.
Again Holmwood took control and wrapped up the tail when Marlon Miller hit straight into the stomach of Daniel Ricketts who had to be taken off the field by his teammates.
Sangster with 3-14 and Sinclair, 3-54, took the most wickets for Holmwood. They were assisted by Levy with 2-22 and Boris Hutchinson, 1-29.
In reply, Holmwood lost their openers to Alton Beckford with 47 runs on the board. Tarique White, 19, was the first to go, bowled with a delivery which pitched on leg stump and hit the top of middle stump. Jeffery Scott, who batted until tea, fell soon after, caught at bat pad off Beckford for 17.
Although STETHS picked up two early wickets, the wickets they really want are those of the two batsmen still at the crease. Sinclair, 46 with two sixes so far to his name, and Levy, 19, showed what batting on a good pitch was like.
In an entertaining 67-run third wicket stand, the two have batted with a lot of discipline and dedication.
