Manchester High were limping at 97-6 against title holders St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) at the close of the rain-truncated opening day of the ISSA/Grace Headley Cup rural cricket final at Manchester High field in Mandeville.

Pajay Nelson, the Manchester High captain, top-scored with a 73-ball 48 which included four fours and a six before rain ruined more than half of the day’s play.

Jedon Daley and Jahdae Moore, each on four runs, are the not out batsmen set to resume for Manchester on Wednesday’s second morning of the scheduled three-day clash.

STETHS left-arm pacer Adrian Silvera has taken 3-24, while Eckoney Robinson, Juwayne Lawson, and skipper Tyriek Bryan have each claimed a wicket.

Barry Barnes, the Manchester coach, said his team suffered from subpar execution with the bat after choosing to take first strike.

“At 97-6, with our main batters out, I’m disappointed with how we approached the game this morning, but these are youngsters still learning the art,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

“We just have to see how best we can get more runs on the table. We have some fighters in the team and I hope they can get the job done.”

Former winners and last season’s finalists Manchester had won the toss and opted to bat, but they were in early strife against Carl Wright-coached STETHS.

Manchester lost the wickets of Kevoy Williams (0) and Demario Hall (2) to be 5-2.

However, wicketkeeper/batsman Nelson, batting at number four, and opener Kavel Bailey (19) settled the innings somewhat with a 41-run partnership for the third wicket.

Bailey’s dismissal brought Tesfah Ward to the crease and he shared in a stand of 19 runs with Nelson for the fourth wicket.

But the loss of Ward for 12 at 65-3 and then Nelson two runs short of a half-century at 88-5 dealt a huge blow to Manchester’s fightback. They soon lost Antoine Hutchinson for two just before the rain came, with the score on 97-6.

— Sanjay Myers

Carl Wright, St Elizabeth Technical cricket coach (Photo: Sanjay Myers)