SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) cruised into the final of the Grace Headley Cup with an innings and 77-run victory over Vere Technical High at STETHS on Saturday.

STETHS declared at their overnight 301-9, then took wickets regularly to dismiss Vere for 126-9 batting a second time, fifty minutes after Lunch. Vere batted one man short because Romano Allen was injured. He suffered a bad cut to his hand while fielding on Friday’s opening day.

Scores: Vere Technical 98 and 126-9; STETHS 301-9 declared.

On Saturday, only first innings top scorer Ryan Burnett posed any real threat to the STETHS bowlers. He top scored with a polished 46, including five fours. Burnett was also Vere’s leader with the ball, taking 6-95 with his offbreaks to contain the STETHS batting on the first day.

Lasana Turner made 23 and Ashanti Spencer was unbeaten on 20 when the innings ended.

STETHS left-arm spinner Lanardo Salmon led the second innings bowling effort with 3-32, while fast bowler Michael Simpson took 2-20.

STETHS captain Ramaal Lewis, who also leads the West Indies and Jamaica Under-19s, followed up his century (104) on the opening day and first innings bowling figures of 3-34 with second innings returns of 1-23 from his off-spin.

All-rounder Shahid Crooks, who was the leading STETHS wicket taker in the first innings, taking 4-31 with his medium pace, took 1-19 on Saturday. Crooks also made 59 with the bat.

STETHS coach Clive Ledgister was happy for victory but felt his team had been complacent at times during the game. “I keep telling them not to allow their standards to drop… but they allowed that to happen at times during this game,” the coach said.

Vere Technical’s coach Dewith Coleman had no complaints. “We were beaten by a better team. STETHS outplayed us throughout but I thought my team really tried,” he said.

— Garfield Myers