BY SHERDON COWAN

Observer staff reporter

cowans@jamaicaobserver.com

IT was sweet redemption for Kingston who were crowned champions of the Kingston Wharves Under-15 Cricket Tournament for the first time when they condemned St Elizabeth to a 59-run defeat in the final at Sabina Park yesterday.

Kingston turned the tables in dramatic fashion after missing out by one run to the same opponents in last year’s final.

A crucial 89-run fourth-wicket stand between the in-form wicketkeeper/batsman Geordae Seymour and all-rounder Razaq Williams set the tone in what turned out to be a daunting total, before left-arm spinner Rajiv Redhi put the brakes on St Elizabeth.

Scores: Kingston 171-8 (40 overs); St Elizabeth 112 all out (32 overs).

After winning the toss, St Elizabeth asked Kingston to take first strike. The decision seemed rewarding when Kingston’s captain Okachie Brown was run out for five with the score at 18.

Williams (48) laid down the gauntlet, but lost Ricardo Bailey (eight) and Danville Walleston (14) cheaply with the score at 73, when he was joined by Seymour.

Williams hit four boundaries and Seymour five in an unbeaten knock of 50, as the two took the score to 162, before Williams met his demise. Seymour pushed on but ran out of partners and overs as they lost their next four wickets for a mere three runs.

Captain Roberto Simpson (3-14) and Romario Moxam (2-28) were the pick of the bowlers.

St Elizabeth’s run chase started steadily, if not slowly, as Kingston’s bowling attack, which is dominated by spinners, tightened the screws. And after losing the top order for 75 runs, St Elizabeth never recovered and eventually succumbed to defeat. They lost their final six wickets for just 35 runs as Redhi ran through the middle, before Matthew Comrie picked up a couple to wrap up the innings.

Redhi ended with figures of 4-24 from eight overs, including two maidens, while Comrie and Akeem Malcolm picked up two wickets apiece.