ST Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) retained the tag of kingpins of schoolboy cricket when they defeated Vere Technical by one wicket in yesterday’s nail-biting final of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Super Eight Twenty20 (T20) competition at Manchester High.

The Santa Cruz-based team, led by a four-wicket haul from West Indies Under-19 pacer Marquino Mindley, bowled out their opponents for a paltry 115 in the 19th over.

But they were made to work hard for victory, surpassing their target with only a ball to spare and collected the winners’ cash prize of $150,000, equipment and the coveted trophy — their fourth title of the season. Scores: Vere Technical 115 all out (18.2 overs); STETHS 117-9 (19.5 overs).

Vere Technical High ($100,000), Manchester High ($75,000) and Eltham High ($50,000) were also awarded for their efforts. In overcast conditions, Vere Technical won the toss and chose to take first strike on a wellprepared surface.

They were in early trouble when Mindley had Rohan Ferguson caught off the second ball of the innings with no run on the board. Randre Christie and skipper Fabian Allen took the score to 25, before Christie was softly dismissed by Kevon Williams for 14, when he hit one in the hands of Ramaal Lewis in the cover region.

It was soon 29 for three when Ryan Burnett was run out by Lewis for a duck, after which Allen went, bowled by leg-spinner Rushane Manning for 20 to leave the score at 54 for four.

Thavi Spencer and Kevin Samuels carved out a 39-run fifth-wicket partnership to take the score to 93 in the 14th over, when Samuels was run out for six.

Spencer continued to bring the fight to the opponents, but he was running out of partners. Rojay Morgan came and went for two, after he was caught off the bowling of Leonardo Salmon, with the score at 108 for six.

Spencer’s well-played knock of 58 came to an end shortly after as Mindley had him caught in the deep to leave the score at 110 for seven.

Salmon got his second scalp when he removed Romario Edwards for three with the score at 113 for eight, before Mindley wrapped the innings up at 115 when he had Demus McPherson caught for two and knocked over the stumps of Javier Bryan for a duck.

Mindley ended with four for 16 and Salmon took two for 14.

STETHS in their reply, got off to a steady start and were at 28 for one in the sixth over when Michael Frew went run out for 14. Shahid Crooks went four runs later for three when Fabian Allen had him caught behind.

The Santa Cruz team lost their way at 51 for four, when Ryan Burnett struck twice in the ninth over removing Jevoy Spence for 11 and Odain McCatty for 17.

Rushane Manning was next man out with the score at 60 for five when Burnett had him caught by Rojay Morgan for five. Burnett grabbed his fourth in the 15th over when he removed Mindley for two with the score at 66 for six, and it was 78 for seven when Allen had his opposite number Ramaal Lewis trapped in front for 11.

It became 94 for nine when Romain Morris was run out for seven and Kevon Williams caught in the deep by Demus McPherson to give Allen his third wicket.

The excitement and tension became evident going into the final over as STETHS required 16 runs for victory and Vere needed only one wicket, but Dennis McGarvey with a topscore of 24 not out hit three fours and a big six to break hearts in the Vere Technical camp.

Ryan Burnett with four for 14 and Fabian Allen, three for 23. were the main wicket-takers.

Earlier on the day, Manchester High defeated Eltham High by 71 runs in the third-place play-offs which was decreased to 16 overs per team due to the late arrival of the Eltham team. Scores: (Manchester 140 (16 0vers); Eltham 69 10th over).