EXCELSIOR High retained the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) urban area Grace Shield cricket title by defeating Wolmer’s Boys’ by six wickets in the 2022 final which ended on Saturday at Melbourne Oval.

Scores: Wolmer’s 73 and 74; Excelsior 102 and 49-4.

After a wet bowler’s run-up delayed the start of play by close to an hour, Wolmer’s Boys’ picked up from their overnight score of 65-6 in the second innings — a lead of only 36 runs — on Saturday’s third and final morning.

Wolmer’s lost their first wicket without a ball being bowled as Brian-Charles Largie, who was unbeaten on 11, was forced to retire out due to religious reasons.

The remaining three Wolmer’s wickets fell for the addition of only nine runs as Excelsior drove home the advantage.

Excelsior’s Demarco Scott, who took 3-12 from the previous day, led the way, with support coming from Cavan Malcolm, who took two wickets without conceding any run, and Tamarie Reid (2-20).

Needing only 46 runs to gain an outright victory, Excelsior began positively but lost two wickets before the lunch interval.

Resuming after lunch on 31-2, they lost another two wickets before Excelsior Captain Brandon English fittingly brought his team over the line.

The winning runs came when English played a lofted shot down the ground for four. For Wolmer’s, left-arm spinner Alex Hinds claimed 2-19 to finish with nine wickets in the match.

— Gerald Reid