ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Weather permitting, Friday’s last day of the ISSA/GK General Insurance rural Headley Cup final promises riveting cricket.

When rain brought an end to play half -an- hour before the tea break on Thursday, defending champions Manchester High were 93 for four in their second innings, trailing St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) by 23 runs with six wickets standing.

Scores: Manchester 117 & 93-4; STETHS 233.

For Manchester High, the hope is that middle-order batsman Rhevon Morgan, who counter attacked brilliantly before the rain to rescue his team from a perilous 27 for three, will carry on for a significant time on Friday.

Manchester High will be striving to not only build a sizable second-innings lead but to do so quickly. That, in order to have enough time to bowl themselves to a come-from-behind victory.

Should the game be drawn, STETHS will claim the Headley Cup title by virtue of their first-innings advantage.

Morgan, unbeaten on 41 with five fours from 30 balls, is to resume on the final day in partnership with Roshawn McKenzie, who is not out 10.

STETHS seamers Jahliel Smith (2-43) and left-armer Adrian Silvera (2-29) had threatened to run through the Manchester batting – on a wearing pitch with the odd delivery keeping low – before Morgan’s spirited response.

Earlier, STETHS resuming from an overnight 157 for four and boasting a 40-run lead, were rattled within a few minutes of the day’s start by the loss of Ryan Littleton (7) and first-day hero Odane Binns (73) with the score on 162

However, Jahliel Smith with a 77-ball 37, piloted the lower order through choppy waters before the innings ended on the stroke of lunch to give STETHS a lead of 116 runs.

Manchester off spinner Barrington Simpson ended with 3-52. Medium pacer Rhevon Morgan (2-17) and Tesfah Ward (2-52) were the other main wicket takers.

—   Garfield Myers