DEFENDING champions St Elizabeth Technical held the advantage over Tacky High after day one action in the ISSA Grace Rural Area Headley Cup semi-final match at Chedwin Park yesterday.

At the close of play, the St Mary-based Tacky were teetering on 66 for two, with West Indies Youth batsman John Campbell unbeaten on 16 after being dropped on 11. With him at the crease is Richard Hamilton on one. Damion Reid and Cassius Burton have so far taken one wicket each for STETHS.

Earlier in the day, STETHS piled up 451 for seven before declaring, thus giving their bowlers a little over an hour to attack Tacky, who are first-time semi-finalists in the competition.

STETHS captain Paul Palmer led from the front with 116, including 16 fours and one six. He was supported by Brian Gayle, Christopher Gayle and Vaneil Bromfield, who were all dismissed in the 70s.

Campbell showed his all-round worth with two wickets for 92 runs, while Orane Farr took two for 115.

Coach of STETHS, Clive Ledgister, expressed confidence that his team would be able to defend their formidable first-innings total.

“I think it was a very good day of cricket and Paul Palmer batted and put us in a good position. My only disappointment is the other three batsmen got starts and didn’t carry on (to get hundreds).

“I’m very confident we can defend our total because we have good spinners in Donavan Nelson and Cassius Burton,” he said, while conceding that the game may be decided on first innings.

However, Jefferton Meek of Tacky said his team still has a chance, though they had too many lapses while fielding.

“I don’t think we performed in the field as well as we could have. When you give away chances like we did then you will end up paying the price. But at the end of the day we will still make a fight of it,” he told the Observer.

“If you want to be champions then you have to beat the top teams, and this game has boiled down to a first-innings game, so our aim is 452,” Meek added.