Boys' Town and Melbourne faced off once more in the final stages of the Senior Cup. The match remained closely contested for a significant portion of it, but Melbourne eventually implemented the crucial tactics needed to clinch their ninth championship. Unfortunately for Boys' Town, their response wasn't potent enough to seize the title.

Published Sunday, September 7, 1969

Melbourne Senior Cup champions again

Sunday Gleaner Sports Reporter

MELBOURNE, by gaining maximum points from Kensington at Kensington Park yesterday afternoon, retained the Senior Cup after a close struggle with Boys’ Town in this year’s cricket competition.

Melbourne, in topping the competition, totalled 38 points, two more than Boys’ Town who, until yesterday afternoon, shared the lead with them, each having 33 points.

Yesterday’s victory – a six-wicket one - gave Melbourne their ninth hold on the 72-year-old cup.  Final scores in this match were Kensington 124 and 64,  Melbourne 160 for five declared and 31 for four.

Like last year, when Boys’ Town were overcome in a play-off by Melbourne, the former again turned in some sterling performances after a bad start.

When play started yesterday, both teams were still away on first innings points.  As was anticipated, Boys’ Town had a fight on their hands and it was a ninth-wicket stand of 22 between No. 11 man Clive Campbell (16) and Leonard Levy (four), which saw them to first-innings points at 26 minutes before five. Shortly afterwards, Boys’ Town declared, but by this time Melbourne were on their triumphant way, dismissing the timid Kensington batsmen for a mere 64.

Melbourne were never in any difficulty and made mince meat of the opposition offered them.  Admittedly, Kensington made some effort, but their performance was short of that expected from a Senior Cup team.  After being dismissed for the moderate total of 124 on the first, they could only muster 64 as Bruce Wellington, the Jamaica left-arm spinner, again played havoc with their batting, bagging four for 14 in 15 overs, to end with match figures of 11 for 50. Wellington has taken 68 wickets for the season,  to retain the O.C. Tommie Scott Cup for being the leading wicket-taker in this year’s competition.

His partner, another Jamaica representative, right arm wrist spinner Arthur Barrett, took 2 for 28 to finish two short of Wellington’s tally.

Continuing 10 minutes late yesterday afternoon, Melbourne, who needed 54 runs for first innings points, took 80 minutes in reaching their goal, due in large part to a very slow outfield and, at times, steady bowling.

But, once again, it was some poor catching and, at times, poor returns to the wicket which prevented an overcautious Melbourne from finding themselves in an embarrassing position.

Melbourne, in achieving first-innings points, were indebted to the former Jamaica batsman, Gerald Wollaston, who was 38 not out over week. Yesterday, he took his total to 59 in 91 minutes. His innings was not attractive to watch. He played a team-man’s effort, as he made his motto “runs”.

Young Samuel Morgan did not appear at any time to be in control, but showed some dedication, in batting through the innings, in scoring 53.  He hit only one four.

Of the Kensington bowlers, only left arm Oscar Hamilton, after a series of dropped catches, managed to make any impression, ending with figures of 20-3-50-2.  Off-spinner Silburn Mitchell also took two wickets for 33 runs.

Kensington, in their second knock, never looked like containing Melbourne.  Silburn Mitchell (23 not out) was again the only Kensington batsman who played with any purpose.

Needing 29 in 60 minutes for victory, Melbourne had little difficulty in getting their ninth hold on the trophy at 5.45 p.m., losing four wickets in the process for 31 runs.

Boys’ Town never seemed to recover from the shock of the first afternoon when St Catherine declared at 150 for 9 and had Boys’ Town on the run at 67 for 4.  It was another devastating spell by the Under-21 medium pacer Livern Wellington, who caused Boys’ Town most worry, as he ended with six for 59 in 27 overs.

Final scores in the game were St Catherine 150 and 24 for one, Boys’ Town 153 for nine declared.

At Railway Oval: Lucas, 96 for four over week after dismissing Railway for 113, went to gain first-innings points, totalling 174. Skipper Roy Paul was their highest run-getter with 60, losing his wicket to Robert Morgan who finished with the best bowling figures in the Railway camp – “out for 24 in eight overs.  Winston Davis also had four, but at the expense of 39 runs in 15.4 overs.

But, after grabbing two wickets at eight as Railway batted a second time, any hopes Lucas had of snatching a dramatic win over the Irons slowly dwindled away as L. Ingram and Davis launched an onslaught on their bowling.  Ingram got 69 and lost his wicket via the same route he did in the first innings – run out.  He hit three sixes and three fours in his knock of 90 minutes, while Davis was undefeated with 52 at the close – one six and seven fours.  Railway were 196 for six at the close.  Lucas finally ended  up with 15 points, the last three gained in this match.

Declaring at their over-week score of 388 for seven, Jamaica Defence Force earned first-inning points from Kingston by routing them for 100 at Camp. When bad light stopped play, Kingston, who were forced to follow on, lost six wickets for 125.

But, for openers Maurice Foster (23) and Adrian Castenheiro (36), Kingston offered ineffectual resistance against the soldiers who took 39 overs to demolish them.

Leonard Chambers, Donovan Ferguson and Magnus Higgins shared the wickets of their opponents who batted one short. Chambers was again the danger man in Kingston’s second innings.  It was he who claimed the wickets of Castenheiro and Duckworth Dajey who cracked 71, which included two sixes and seven fours.

Apart from these two, no other batsman offered stiff opposition. Chambers finished with a  match analysis of 22-10-39-6.

Two minutes’ silence was observed at the games as a mark of respect for the late Norman Washington Manley of Jamaica, who will be buried today. Manley was former premier of Jamaica.

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