Jamiaca: Holmwood win Headley Cup (29 April 1998)

April 29, 1998

Holmwood win Headley Cup

The Jamaica Gleaner

CRICKET: Holmwood Technical wasted little time in pressing home the advantage gained in the final half hour of the previous day's play, to claim their fifth hold on the Headley Cup title over STETHS at Alpart yesterday.

Scores in the match: Holmwood 131 in 58 overs; STETHS 102 in 51.2 overs. With STETHS entering yesterday's second day on 71 for six and still needing another 60 runs to win, Holmwood quickly rapped up the innings in 40 minutes and 11.2 overs.

Captain Ricardo Powell opened with the success pair of legspinner Kevin Peart and fast bowler Evon McEnnis, who struck in his first over as pint-sized Odane Ewart lasted a mere three balls to add to the six he faced overnight to be lbw for nought. And despite last man Lamion Wright's lusty cameo of 17 off 11 balls, the end was always near for STETHS until he held out to Damion Powell at long on to be the last of Pearts' six victims.

It was Holmwood's third title since 1990 and their second in three finals against STETHS. It was also their first success in three consecutive finals, having lost to STETHS at Port Kaiser in 1996 and to Garvey Maceo last year at Chedwin Park.

Losing coach Junior Bennett paid respect to his rival's success. He said: "We knew Holmwood was the superior team but we worked hard to pressure them to do things they were not used to. We felt we had done that when we bowled them out for 131 before tea on the first day. We got the right start, but we were bugged down in the last half an hour on Monday and I was personally impressed with how captain Powell worked his bowlers with such a small score to defend."

National youth selector Derron Dixon was also on hand to witness the final and gave his impressions of the quality of play. "There were moments of enterprising play and although STETHS was a young team and Holmwood the superior one, you could see clearly a few good players on either side."

In Sunlight Cup action, wicketkeeper Andrew Dennis with four catches and one stumping, highlighted play in the Sunlight Cup Group A semi-finals as defending champions Kingston College advanced to the final by scoring a convincing 237-run win over St. Catherine High before tea, at Melbourne Park yesterday.

Scores: Kingston College 348; St. Catherine 111.

The next qualifier for the finals, which is set to run from May 5 at Melbourne Oval, will be known at the end of the Wolmer's Boys/Jonathan Grant High encounter, that starts today at Wolmer's.

Roy McLean, KC's coach, said: "At first I thought the game would end in a draw after they (St. Catherine) had won the toss and gave us first choice on the pitch, but our guys did well to pull off a marvelous win."

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)