Coach dedicates Spalding Cup win to father of young allrounder

Western Bureau  

Clive Ledgister, coach of  St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS), has dedicated his team's 23rd Spalding Cup win to the late Paul Palmer Sr, father of his young allrounder Nigel Palmer.
    The Headley Cup champions reclaimed the all-island title yesterday after leading Grace Shield winners Innswood High on first innings in the three-day play-off. The match was played at the STETHS Sports Complex.
   “This one we want to dedicate to Nigel Palmer's father who passed away three weeks ago,” said Ledgister.

“We are quite happy we were able to win it back because everywhere we went,  people were asking questions about what happened last year against Papine High. To come and play some good cricket over the last three days and win it for the rural area is special for us,” he added.

Coach of Innswood, Kirk Gordon, told The Gleaner that they were let down by poor fielding.

“I think we let the STETHS team off the hook from the very first day. We dropped some six catches in that first session and it cost us the game in the end. This STETHS team was more disciplined and played better than us in all areas,” said Gordon who will now turn his attention to the upcoming T20s.

Innswood added just nine runs to their overnight 121 for eight and were dismissed for 130 with STETHS' Roberto Simpson picking up the remaining two wickets to end with six for 15.

STETHS scored 216 all out in their second innings, setting Innswood  a steep  target of 252 to get in 23 overs. Nigel Palmer top-scored for STETHS with  51 while Innswood's Jeavor Royal picked up four for 62 to end with a match haul of 10 for 112. He had taken six for 50 in STETHS' first innings.

The urban area champions were restricted to 88 for six at the end of the match with Nahjay Williams getting an unbeaten 35. STETHS' Andre McCarthy picked up four for 30.