CARL Wright, St Elizabeth Technical High School’s (STETHS) cricket head coach, says the team’s dominance over the opening two days of the ISSA/Grace Headley Cup final against Manchester High was the main factor in retaining the title.

Santa Cruz-based STETHS emerged 2026 rural cricket champions by virtue of securing first-innings honours in the rain-affected, drawn three-day final at Manchester High field in Mandeville.

Scores: Manchester High 104 & 181-8 decl; STETHS 232.

“It was an excellent performance in the first innings to restrict our opponents to 104,” the STETHS coach told the Jamaica Observer.

“We didn’t fully capitalise with the bat but we still had a formidable lead, which I thought [made it] impossible for them [to come back].

“I think they are a very good team but we were just better on the first two days and by virtue of that we came out victorious, so I just want to commend the [STETHS] guys,” Wright, who was winning his second Headley Cup in three years as head coach, added.

Wright’s opposite number, Barry Barnes, praised his team’s fightback but acknowledged it was always an uphill battle after trailing by 128 runs in the first innings.

“I knew it was going to be a challenge in terms of the match situation. We had that deficit to be erased so I knew it was going to be a hard task, especially against a quality team like STETHS,” said Barnes.

“In the second innings we looked the part — like the Manchester team that we were seeing this season. But it was not to be — I think we lost it from the first innings. It was a good effort by the Manchester youngsters, but when all is said and done I think STETHS deserved to win the competition,” noted the Manchester High coach.

STETHS had resumed Thursday’s final morning from a commanding overnight position of 162-2 with left-hander Tyriek Bryan on 92 and Odane Binns on 11.But Bryan was dismissed without adding a run and Binns went for 35 as STETHS were bowled out for 232.Pacers Kelon Jones and Jahdae Moore led Manchester’s bowling with respective figures of 4-84 and 3-68.

Batting a second time, last season’s finalists Manchester scored rapidly but kept losing wickets before declaring on 181-8. Demario Hall (61), Tesfah Ward (54) and Pajay Nelson (23) were the top scorers.

Jerome Taylor took 3-21, while Eckoney Robinson grabbed 2-72. Left-arm pacer Adrian Silvera, who claimed six wickets in the first innings, finished with 1-65.

STETHS had no chance to chase the 54-run victory target as bad light forced umpires to end the contest, which lost significant time last Tuesday and Wednesday due to heavy rainfall.

St Elizabeth Technical are set to face urban Grace Shield winners St Jago High in the all-island Spalding Cup match scheduled for Wednesday to Friday next week at Melbourne Cricket Club in St Andrew.

Tyriek Bryan (left), the St Elizabeth Technical cricket captain, receives the ISSA/Grace Headley Cup trophy from George Henry, chairman of rural schools cricket, during a post-match presentation at Manchester High on Thursday. St Elizabeth Technical claimed first-innings honours in the drawn final versus Manchester High.

Manchester High players celebrate the fall of a St Elizabeth Technical wicket during the ISSA/Grace Headley Cup final at Manchester High on Wednesday. Photo: Naphtali Junior