Head Coach Kirkland Bailey could not suppress his joy at emerging with back-to-back ISSA/First Global Bank Grace Shield champions after Excelsior High recorded a resounding 277-run win over St Jago High on Wednesday.

The comeback victory, which was completed on the second day of the scheduled three-day final, gave Bailey a fifth hold on the urban area Under-19 schools cricket title, but it’s his first successful defence of the crown.

“It’s previously been every other year that we’ve won,” the coach told the Jamaica Observer. “This is the first I’ve got consecutive [wins] under my belt at this level and it feels good to get it done.”

While the victory margin underlined Excelsior High’s superiority over the course of the championship match at Chedwin Park in St Catherine, it was not a complete stroll.

St Jago High, who also suffered a heavy loss to Excelsior in last season’s final, started strongly when they dismissed their opponents for only 127. Captain Vitel Lawes led the St Jago bowling with 6-43 while Wayne Plummer took 2-16 against Geovanni Grey, who made 33 not out.

St Jago were 100-3 and appeared on course for a significant first-innings lead before they collapsed to 136 all out. Ralique Thomas top-scored with 57 while Excelsior’s Nicoli McKenzie claimed 6-27 and skipper Demarco Scott, 3-48.

Faced with what turned into an inconsequential nine-run deficit, Excelsior carried over their bowling momentum into the batting effort and racked up 328-6 declared. Opener David Dewar, who made only 26 in the first innings, thrashed a 102-ball 107, with support coming from Justin Adlam (82), Scott (46), and McKenzie (41). Antwon Robinson grabbed 2-53 for St Jago.

Set an improbable 320 runs for victory, St Jago were blown away for 42, with Geovanni Grey (6-30) and Scott (3-12) doing the damage.

Bailey noted his team’s resilience.

“I think Excelsior acquitted themselves well over the two days. Having started slowly on the first day we were behind the eight-ball… [but] we showed great resolve.

“We [built a lead of] over 300 runs, and that put us in a very dominant position. The St Jago resolve was broken… as they never put up much resistance in the second innings,” he said.

The Excelsior coach said he is anticipating the all-island Spalding Cup contest versus rural Headley Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical at STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, set for April 22-24.

Joseph Lemmie, head coach of St Jago, told the Observer that Excelsior’s batsmen pushed the game out of reach in the second innings when they set a “challenging” target.

“Excelsior batted well, they batted maturely and batted responsibly, and we had no answer… congrats to Excelsior because they played smarter cricket,” he said.

But he rued the illness that impacted the bowling contribution of St Jago’s first-innings hero Lawes in the second innings. Lawes, who made four batting at number four in the first innings, did not bat in the second innings.

“I think the bowlers put the ball in the right areas [in the first innings]. Our captain chipped in and he got six [wickets] to help restrict Excelsior to 127.

“We went in to bat knowing that putting on some runs [for a significant lead] would be very good for us. However, we slumped from [100-3] and got bowled out for 136,” he said.

“We then lost our captain because he was not feeling well and was taken to the hospital, and our vice-captain was also not feeling well. We dropped some chances as well, and when you’re playing against very good opposition the margin for error is always minimal,” Lemmie lamented.

Excelsior High batsman David Dewar raises his bat after making a century versus St Jago High in the ISSA/First Global Bank Grace Shield final.

LEMMIE… Excelsior batted well, they batted maturely and batted responsibly, and we had no answer

BAILEY… it feels good to get it done (Photo: Observer file)