DESPITE a workman-like all-round performance by Captain Jeavor Royal, Innswood High were bedazzled by Excelsior High on day one of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Allied Brokers Insurance Under-16 two day/two innings final at Melbourne Cricket Oval yesterday.

Royal first bagged five for 63, before returning to top score with 67, as Innwood were restricted to 117, after an 81-run 11th-wicket partnership between Keshawn Graham (with a top score of 41) and Qwayne Moore (34 not out), propelled Excelsior to a respectable total of 249.

Excelsior batting a second time closed the day on 44 for two, having an overall lead of 176.

Scores: (Excelsior 249 & 44-2; Innswood 117 all out).

Excelsior won the toss and have taken first strike on a flat playing surface, and was given a steady start by their openers D’Andre Ogilvie and Okachie Brown who took them to 33, before Ogilvie (33) was adjudged l eg-before-wicket off the bowling of Jeavor Royal.

Brown was then joined by Keneal Green and the two carved out a 38-run partnership, which took the score to 71 when Brown (20) played one back to bowler Kevin Peterson. Green followed soon after when Royal had him caught for five, with the score being 72 for three.

Captain Orande Pearson came and failed to trouble the score as Peterson had him caught for a duck. Raewin Senior followed when Royal had him trapped in front to leave the score at 74 for five.

Orlando Rowe and Romario Brown took the Mountain View-based school past the 100-mark with a well timed partnership of 45 runs, which pushed the tally up to 119 when Brown was beautifully bowled by Omario Wallace for 21. Raymond Hall came and gave a cameo of 26 to push the score to 151, when he went trapped in front to the bowling of Royal. It became 156 for eight at lunch when Keanu Marr went caught in the slip by Royal to give Peterson his third wicket.