MANCHESTER, Jamaica — St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) grabbed their 30th hold on the all-rural ISSA/Grace Headley Cup by virtue of first innings advantage over Holmwood Technical High in their drawn final at Manchester High here yesterday.

Scores at the end of the rain-affected third and final day: STETHS 183 and 226; Holmwood Technical High 179 and 101-7.

Resuming yesterday under cloudy skies at 132-3, defending champions STETHS managed another 94 runs for the loss of their last seven wickets with Andre McCarthy not out 44 overnight, falling for a top score of 60 (seven fours, 93 balls).

Left-arm spinner Shamar Smith took five for 44 and off-spinner Tian Jarrett 3-91 for Holmwood as STETHS were dismissed on the stroke of lunch.

Left with the difficult task of scoring 231 runs in two sessions on a wearing pitch showing increasing signs of uneven bounce, Holmwood were set back early as Delano Spence (6) was bowled by seamer Andre Blake at 17-1. Rain came shortly after and it would take close to two hours before play resumed at 3:32pm, leaving Holmwood with virtually no chance of reaching the victory target.

Urged on by their supporters, Holmwood tried to attack the bowling but kept losing wickets and seemed in danger of being bowled out. However Rashad Richards, not out 24, and Joel Foster, not out six, ensured the drawn result with the umpires lifting the bails in fading light at 5:30pm.

Blake was the most successful of the STETHS bowlers with 4-36.

Clive Ledgister who was winning his eleventh Headley Cup title in 12 years as STETHS coach, said his team’s greater experience at playing finals and in crunch situations helped in the tense contest for first innings lead on the second day. The players’ desire also helped, he said.

“In the end it probably came down to who wanted it most,” Ledgister said.

Holmwood’s coach Gary Graham was happy for “a good season” though disappointed at falling short in the final.

“STETHS played better cricket than us, they deserve to be champions,” he said.

Garfield Myers