Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

STETHS' Derval Gray is bowled by Eltham's Shaun Edlam in the Spaulding Cup final at Chedwin Park yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

THE THREE-DAY Spaulding Cup All-island schoolboy cricket final between Eltham and St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) is interestingly poised at the end of yesterday's first day at Chedwin Park.

Replying to STETHS' modest first innings score 125, Eltham were 73 for four when bad light stopped play.

Eltham, the Grace Shield Corporate Area champions, won the toss and invited Headley Cup champions STETHS to take strike.

With runs hard to come by against tight bowling, only middle-order batsman Paul Palmer (45) was able to get a good score. Bowling for Eltham, Romeo Dunca, 3-37, Kavin Bonner, 2-8, and Shawn Adlam, 2-26, claimed the most wickets.

Struggled

In reply, Eltham were also made to struggle, although they were not far adrift of the target at stumps.

Dunca made (19) and Kino-Paul Salesman (16). Shane Harris (16 not out) and Fredrick Hermit (nine not out) will resume this morning. West Indies Under-19 pacer Jason Dawes has so far taken (1-11). Oral Simpson, coach of Eltham, said he was pleased with the day's proceedings.

"I am satisfied with the way things have gone so far because our bowlers did an extremely good job in getting out STETHS cheaply," Simpson said.

"Our batsmen now need to continue to apply themselves at the crease throughout this innings because we need to get first innings points," he said.