DEFENDING double champions St. Jago High are yet to register a victory in this year's Grace Shield schoolboy cricket competition as for the second game in a row they were held to a draw.
The pre-season favourites who have retained all of last year's players were held to a draw by St. Catherine High at St. Johns Road on Friday. The defending champions who drew their first game with Jonathon Grant were asked to bat first by the home team after losing the toss.
After an opening partnership of 30 between Damian Henry and David Lemmie, it was the latter who was first to go as he was caught off the bowling of medium pacer Mohanjo Thompson for 13.
National Youth representative Danza Hyatt joined Henry at the wicket and both batted well, especially Hyatt who showed his class with beautiful shots all over the field. They added 80 runs for the third wicket partnership before Henry was out for 40 with the score on 110, caught off the bowling of Garth Bailey.
Once again Hyatt found a useful partner in skipper Ryan Campbell and they shared in another useful partnership, adding 77 runs. After giving a chance at 62, Hyatt failed to make use of this and was out leg before for a well played 82. His innings contained 14 fours .
Captain Campbell who ended with 60 not out and a quick 25 from Andre Rowe took the St. Jago team to 240 for five before the declaration came. Bailey with 3 for 56 was St. Catherine's best bowler.
St. Jago paid the price for declaring too late as St. Catherine High made no effort to chase the runs despite an entertaining opening stand of 58 between Rohan James (58) and Phillip Pinnock who made 27. When these two went it was a slow march for the St. Johns Road team as they ended on 126 for 5 at the close.
Skipper Campbell following up his good inning returned to grab two for 21 to be St. Jago's best bowler.
Meanwhile, at Lime Tree Oval, Jonathan Grant defeated Waterford by 68 runs. Jonathan Grant batted first and were dismissed for 135 by Martin Hoillette 4-19 and spinner Albert Miller 4-57.
Waterford could only manage 67 against the bowling of Conrad Taylor 3-12, Abadoo Bryan 3-22 and Dave Archer 2-5.
AT TIVOLI HIGH SCHOOL: Bridgeport were held to a draw by Tivoli.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bridgeport were bowled out for 196. Tivoli in their turn were struggling on 58 for six when bad light stopped play at 6:00 p.m.
Lance Layston (58), Kemar Mushington (27), Omar Haynes (19) Ramesh Brown (17) and Naaman Bernard (12) made most runs for the Portmore-based team against Tafari Williams 4-40, leg-spinner Shaniel Francis 2-60 and Ricardo Bailey.
When Tivoli batted they were in early trouble and only Francis (14) and Raymond Palmer (10) were able to reach double figures against fast bowler Bernard 4-25 and spinner Kerome Lewis 2-13.
