Former champions Manchester High had a firm grip at close on the opening day of the 2024 three-day rural area ISSA/Grace Headley Cup final against May Day High.

When stumps were drawn at Manchester High School on Wednesday, May Day were teetering on 118-9 in their first-innings reply to Manchester’s 219 to trail by 101 runs with only one wicket in hand.

Scores: Manchester 219 (58.2 overs); May Day 118-9 (33 overs)

Philando Whytle and Glenville Miller are the not out batsmen for May Day, on one and zero, respectively. Chadwick Hewitt has top-scored so far with 55 against Manchester High’s Rhevon Morgan (4-17).

Earlier Manchester won the toss and chose to bat first with Pajay Nelson leading the way with 67, while Matthew Morgan, who starred with knocks of 111 and 61 not out in last week’s semi-final against St Elizabeth Technical, supported with 46.

Hewitt was May Day’s top wicket-taker with 5-50, while Nashane Meade and Christopher Lewis grabbed two wickets each.

Manchester were off to a solid start and were 79-1 before a mini stumble saw them losing three wickets in relatively quick succession as they slipped to 104-4.

However, they went to lunch at 145-4 as Nelson and Rhevon Morgan steadied the innings

The two shared in a 77-run stand but when Rhevon Morgan fell for 40, the rest of the batting fell away quickly. Nelson, who made a crucial second-innings half-century in the semi-final, was the last Manchester batsman dismissed on Wednesday. He hit eight fours off the 115 balls he faced.

When May Day batted they were in all sorts of strife virtually from the beginning.

They went to the tea break at 11-1 and dropped in deeper trouble in the final session, limping to 29-5.

May Day, on the back of Hewitt’s resistance, battled tooth and nail to get past the 100-run mark, but they will enter Thursday’s second day on the back foot against a rampant Manchester bowling attack.

Rasheed Harriott (2-25) and Matthew Morgan (2-43) have provided the leading support to Rhevon Morgan so far.