ST GEORGE’S College defeated Calabar High on first innings to capture their first-ever hold on the 2016 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Under-16 School boys cricket competition at the Melbourne Cricket Club yesterday.

The match came to a premature end as a result of heavy afternoon showers, which forced the umpires to call off the match.

For taking a first-innings lead of 194 runs in the drawn two-day final, St George’s College were declared the champions.

The shortened day’s play was highlighted however, by the off-spin bowling of Kymani Wilson, who captured six wickets for 60 runs off 19 overs in a brilliant performance.

Wilson bowled remarkably well as he took four wickets for just only six runs, to add to his overnight bowling of two for 54 runs to destroy the batting of Calabar.

Scores in the drawn match: St George’s College 314 all out, and 30 without loss; Calabar High 120 all out off 46 overs.

Yesterday’s play began more than an hour late as a result of overnight showers, but when it did, it was sheer brilliance from Wilson and captain Kirk McKenzie, who took three wickets for 38 runs bowling 24 overs as they skittled out Calabar for 120 runs.

Calabar’s two overnight batsmen Sachin Simms and Zaheer Parkes resumed at 100 for four wickets, and both went without any additional runs to their scores of 64 and 14, respectively, as the Red Hills Road-based aggregation was left reeling at 100 for six wickets.

With a first-innings lead of 194 runs, St George’s decided not to give Calabar the follow-on, but batted in their second innings after the lunch break.

They were 30 without loss with captain and first-innings centurion on 23 not out and Wilson on seven not out before heavy showers in the afternoon brought an end to the game.

Winning coach John Gordon said he was very elated with his team’s victory, as it was not only the first time the team was winning the title, but also it was their first-ever final.

“The ‘light blues’ are very delighted and joyful for coming out victorious. They really played extremely well, especially the batting of captain McKenzie (113), and the bowling of Wilson (6 for 60),” Gordon said.

Meanwhile, losing coach Sean Newell said his players did not play to instructions as they tried to make too many shots instead of playing the ball on its merit.

“My top batsmen who had scored many runs leading up to this final failed badly, as it was just definitely indisciplined batting they produced. St George’s batting was much more solid than ours, as they also occupied the wicket for a long period,” Newell said.

“It is the second year in succession that we have failed to win the Under-16 title, and this is the third time St George’s were beating Calabar. St George’s played very well and they selected their shots and waited on the bad balls to hammer them,” said Newell.