STETHS retain Spalding Cup with crushing win over Campion in final

Defending Grace Financial Spalding Cup title holders St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) wrapped up the all-island schoolboy cricket final in style against Campion College at Melbourne Oval yesterday, winning comfortably by an innings and 202 runs inside two days.

After posting a massive 458 in their only turn at bat, STETHS returned to bowl out their opponents for a paltry 143 in the first innings.

That gave the rural champions a first-innings advantage of 315 runs and they enforced the follow-on, bowling out the Donald Bredwood-coached team a second time in one day for 113.

Neil Johnson put up the most resistance for the Corporate Area champions in the first innings, top-scoring with 45, while captain Abijhai Mansingh made 32. Christopher Martin and Saad Ahmad hit 15 and 10, respectively.

West Indies Under-19 bowler, Michael Frew, who finished with 12 for 48 overall, was the main destroyer for the 'St Bess' school. He took five for 15 in the first innings, when captain Ramaal Lewis, who also captains the West Indies Under-19 team, took three for 35.

Batting a second time, Campion again fell short. Dominic Samuels top-scored with 48. He was involved in a second-wicket partnership of 74 with Mansingh, who made 35 before losing his wicket at 78 for two.

Afterwards, the urban-area team crumbled against superb bowling by Frew, who bagged seven for 33, as the last seven wickets fell for a mere 13 runs.

A win for everyone

Winning coach Clive Ledgister said it was a 'special' win.

"We do not play only for ourselves, this is for the entire rural area and to come here and display our talent in such a manner is special to us," he said.

"Campion might be a bit weak in terms of their cricketing ability, but in terms of their level of discipline, I was very impressed with how Campion applied themselves. They enjoyed the game throughout, even though they were behind most of the time."

Campion's Bredwood admitted that they were up against a classy team.

"We didn't play up to par, but all in all, STETHS is a very formidable team with some very experienced players and they were just bowling excellent and excellent bowling prevailed, plus they (bowlers) were backed up by their fielders," Bredwood stated.