Mandeville, Manchester – A tense, error-riddled ISSA Rural Twenty20 cricket final ended in a one-wicket victory for Manchester High School over defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) at Manchester High here Tuesday.

Entering the last over with 11 runs needed and just one wicket in hand, Manchester High benefited from four wides bowled by off-spinner Nigel Palmer – including a wide on the last ball, as well as misfields and overthrows, to win with one legal ball remaining.

Before that, though, Jamaica Under-19 batsman Kashawn Beale had stroked a composed, 51-ball 64 (five fours, three sixes) and Denell Stewart a belligerant 26-ball 44 (three sixes, three fours) to keep Manchester on course after STETHS, led by their captain Michael Frew with an unbeaten 60, posted a challenging 143-6.

As if to add to the drama, STETHS allrounder Andre McCarthy, who was expected to bowl his stiff medium pace at the death, instead of Palmer, had to leave the field late in the Manchester innings because of severe chest pains.

At press time Tuesday night, McCarthy was at hospital doing precautionary tests.

Scores: STETHS 143-6 from 20 overs; Manchester High 144-9 from 19 overs and five balls. This was the third Under-19 cricket title for Manchester High, having previously won the ISSA/Grace Headley Cup and the all-island Spalding Cup in 2013.

For STETHS, by far the most successful school in Jamaican Under-19 cricket since the late 1970s, this was their second shock loss in a final this season, having lost the all-island Spalding Cup to urban champions Papine High last month. STETHS are champions of the all-rural ISSA/Grace Headley Cup.

Having won the toss and deciding to bat on a hard pitch but with stroke play hampered by a heavy outfield, STETHS got off to a flying start taking 16 runs off the first over. But things got tougher thereafter, and the defending champions soon stumbled to 54-3 despite several errors in the field by the Manchester players who, like STETHS later on, struggled to keep focus.

Frew, a member of the West Indies Under-19 world championship winning team from last year, shared 82 for the fourth wicket with wicketkeeper/batsman Rojhni Roye, 34 (34 balls) to give the innings stability and momentum.

Frew faced 50 balls and stroked two sixes and five fours in his responsible knock. Manchester High pacer Andre Morgan took 2-25.

Manchester High were cruising at 63-1 with the hard-hitting Stewart threatening to finish the game with overs to spare, when STETHS spinners Roberto Simpson (2-14), Jordan Jobson (2-14) and Frew (1-16) undermined the batting with quick wickets. When Beale fell at 130-8 in the 19th over, STETHS seemed favourites to scrape home.

But then McCarthy’s illness, a nervous Palmer who was badly put off by strong winds, and equally nervous STETHS fielders were undone in the final over as number nine Manchester High batsman Kevon Anniford not out seven, and 13-year-old Number 11 batsman, Jahiem Bartley, not out, one, held their nerve to trigger wild jubilation among Manchester players and supporters.

“The youngsters did themselves and their school proud today,” said Manchester High coach Barry Barnes.

STETHS coach Clive Ledgister paid tribute to Manchester High for playing good cricket, but noted his team was hit hard by McCarthy’s enforced absence in the final overs.

— Garfield Myers