- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Holmwood's captain Borris Hutchinson (centre), with his teammates, holds up the WILCO/Headley Cup after their five-wicket victory over STETHS at Alpart yesterday.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
NAIN, St. Elizabeth:
HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL are the 2004 WILCO Sports/Headley Cup champions following their five-wicket victory over St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in the final, which was completed at Alpart Sports Club yesterday.
Final scores in the three-day final: STETHS 155 and 174; Holmwood 222 and 110 for five.
Starting the day needing to score 108 for victory, and with all 10 wickets in hand, Holmwood allowed STETHS to get on top of them from the very first over.
Given the responsibility to opening the bowling, off-spinner Howard Powell got STETHS off to a dream start, picking up the wicket of Daniel Ricketts, two, with his third delivery, stumped by wicketkeeper Ishmael Parchment to a ball which spun back sharply.
HELD DOWN ONE END
Powell held down one end and with pacer Duran McLeod at the other, STETHS found the pitch to their advantage, keeping low and turning. However, after seven overs, STETHS brought on legspinner Alton Beckford, who picked up 7-96 in the first innings and, along with Powell, put severe pressure on Holmwood.
With 23 runs on the board, Powell and Beckford struck crucial blows, removing Tarique White and Donovan Sinclair in successive overs. White, a national Under-15 player, was surprised by a delivery from Powell which spun back and took off-stump while Sinclair played a ball from Beckford into the waiting hands of Ricardo Knight at bat pad.
Things continued to work STETHS' way in the first hour as they picked up four wickets for 40 runs. However, after Powell claimed his wicket third and STETHS' fourth, removing Andre McCarthy, caught at short mid-wicket for 10, Holmwood closed the door thanks to Ziggy Levy and Kadian McKenzie, who was put down twice off Powell.
In a partnership which produced 44 important runs, Levy, who contributed only eight, fell to a cut shot off Davian Davidson with Holmwood still in search of 23 runs for victory. Watched by some of the girls that handed them girls' champs title a week ago, McKenzie and Domain Sangster made sure Holmwood achieved victory without further loss.
In making an unbeaten 47, McKenzie, along with Sangster, who was not out on 14, provided their supporters with some entertainment at the end. However, it was McKenzie who finished the game in style, taking the score from 100 to 110 with a four and six to end the match just before lunch. McKenzie hit seven fours and a six in his innings.
Holmwood's coach, Robert Lewis, credited his team's second straight victory to a collective effort.
"The team performed well, it was a total team effort," Lewis said.
He went on to say, although they needed only 107 on the final day, "we expected a good fight. STETHS are a very good team."
STETHS' coach, Junior Bennett, blamed his team's loss on poor batting.
"We batted poorly in both innings, our top order batsmen did not come off," Bennett said. "We bowled well this morning, but that was not good enough," he said.
