STETHS hold advantage after rain-affected day one

Western Bureau:

ST ELIZABETH Technical High School (STETHS) hold a slight advantage in the rain-affected Spaulding Cup under-19 all-island cricket playoff over Wolmer’s Boys’ School, who reached 109 for the loss of six wickets when weather interrupted play in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, yesterday.

STETHS started the day making the best of a bit of moisture in the surface, with pace bowler Govasta Edmond grabbing two early wickets and had they been more clinical, could have had more.

Justin Beckford, who looked in sublime touch before getting out, and Nicole McKenzie offered resistance with 28 runs each.

The two fell to Javed Simpson, who at one point, was on a hat-trick and was the pick of the bowlers with 3-28. Alex Hinds (12*) and Matthew Aljoe (10*) are the not-out batters at the crease.

STETHS coach Clive Ledgister said they have unfinished business with Wolmer’s and are focused on getting a good hold of the first innings, especially in a rain-affected game.

“I am pretty satisfied, but we have made quite a bit of mistake. Our fast bowler Edmond created several opportunities, but we had some no-balls and we dropped a few catches. Things would have been different had those catches been taken and there weren’t any no-balls. We also have to look at our fielding,” Ledgister said.

“We still have to focus, especially after what happened in the T20 last year, bowl them out for a relatively low total and still lost. We still have that in the back of our minds because cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. We still have to play because they still have four wickets in hand, and if we allow the game to drift away, we could be in problems,” he added.

Wolmer’s coach, Jerraine Williams, said they were aware that the game could be decided on first-innings points and just have to get a good score on the board.

“We just have to get the guys in the right frame of mind for tomorrow to get some runs. We have Alex Hinds out there who got 97 in the last game, and Matthew Aljoe has some quality, and we still have a few that can come and chip in with some runs. We just want to get a good total on the board so the bowlers can work with it,” Williams said.