STETHS hunt their record fourth title

• Manchester hoping to turn tables on all-conquering Santa Cruz institution
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Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

St Elizabeth Technical High School will this morning take on Manchester High in the ISSA/First Global Financial Services under-16 final on their school grounds in Santa Cruz, in a bold bid to chase a historic four titles in four finals contested this season.

In their run towards their latest quest, STETHS, which have already won the Headley Cup, the all-island (Spalding Cup) and the rural senior knock-out championship, easily defeated Cross Keys by 10 wickets in last week's semi-finals in Santa Cruz.

Cross Keys, who surprisingly won the Manchester-based preliminary zone and were first time semi-finalists, proved no match for the Clive Legister-conditioned team, who bowled them out for 51 in 31 overs.

Two of the STETHS bowlers, which represented the national under-15 team last year, Ramaal Lewis and Roshane Manning, were the chief wicket takers.

Lewis who bowls offspin collected six wickets, while Manning had two. Their team's openers Odane McCathy (23) and Jardon Nemphard (17) then achieved the target in 12 overs.

With his side favoured, the unassuming Legister is keen to reap more accolades.

"We have a very good cricket programme, and the youngsters are performing so anything can happen," said Legister, who also played on several winning Headley Cup teams in the late 1980s.

Their opponents, Manchester High, carried out a similar demolition job while ousting the defending champions BB Coke of Junction, in last week's semi-finals.

At their home ground in Mandeville, Manchester High skittled out the champions for a paltry 53 in 19 overs. Akeem Wright spun his way to snare five for 13 off nine overs, while medium pacer Christopher Powell took four for 17 off eight overs. Openers Romario Levy (30 not out) and Claude Witter (25 not out) then made light work of the target, in 18 overs.

This is Manchester's third time in a rural cricket final in the four years that coach Barry Barnes has been in charge. Having lost out to STETHS twice in both the knockout final and the Headley Cup, he believes winning this time around will be a tremendous boost to the cricket programme at Manchester.

"We have come a long way and there has been tremendous improvement in what has been done to cricket at Manchester," Barnes told The Gleaner.

"These guys have shown that they want to win it, and I am hoping they will turn up on the day and show their talent," he added.