NAIN, St Elizabeth — Opener Damion Bryce smashed 99 and two 15-year-olds, Tristan Coleman (62 not out) and Sherdon Allen (25 not out), shared an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 53 as Manchester fared well against St Elizabeth on day one of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Senior Cup final at Alpart Sports Club yesterday.

Sent in, defending champions Manchester reached 292-6 in 75 overs with 25 overs lost in mid to late afternoon because of rain and bad light.

The 24-year-old left-handed Bryce got a reprieve first ball when he was caught at slip off a no ball from former West Indies pacer and St Elizabeth captain Daren Powell.

He immediately set about ensuring St Elizabeth paid dearly as 21 runs came off that first over from Powell and 41 off his first three.

Bryce was forced to retire hurt on 41 after being hit in the face by a rising delivery from medium-pacer Damion Ebanks, but returned at the fall of the first wicket to continue his plunder.

By the time he fell one short of his second century of the season to the tall leg-spinner Cassius Burton, Bryce a past student of Mile Gully High, had hit three sixes and 10 fours and faced 124 balls.

Former Jamaica Under-19 opener Zeniffe Fowler with a 95-ball 40 (two fours and two sixes), Ziggy Levy, 20, and captain Gary Graham, 14, provided support for Bryce.

The wicket-takers for St Elizabeth so far are Burton (2-21), pacer Mark Gordon (1-26), Ebanks (1-48), off-spinner Howard Powell (1-54) and Powell (1-74).