Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Eltham's Schacoya Thomas plays back to a delivery during his unbeaten innings of 193 on yesterday's opening day of their Grace Shield Premier League final against St. Catherine at Melbourne Oval. Looking on is St. Catherine 'keeper Andre Benjamine. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
FIFTEEN-YEAR-old Schacoya Thomas scored a majestic unbeaten century as Eltham High took total control of their three-day Grace Shield Premier League final against St. Catherine at Melbourne Oval yesterday.
Thomas, who spent over 6 1/2 hours at the crease, will resume today's second day looking set for a rare double century.
In helping Eltham, the A League champions to 359 for two, Thomas, a member of the team which shared the Colts title with St. Catherine in 2003, struck 19 fours and one six.
Thomas, a fourth form student at four-year-old Eltham High, has so far added 203 for the third with Matthew Stewart, who is on 64 (5x4).
Thomas, who scored 121 in the semi-final against KC, also shared in two other important partnerships, 86 for the first wicket with Andell Herlington, who made 22, and 73 for the second wicket with Damion Wright, who was caught off Jermaine Gordon (1-48 off 15 overs) for 37.
Rasheed Outar (1-57 off 37 overs) was the other wicket taker for the St. Catherine team, which used 10 bowlers.
Although they are faced with a big task, St. Catherine High's coach, Stanford Hudson, said: "We are not really worry about that". He said it would be better if the score was less but said Eltham got a batting paradise.
BOWLERS' NIGHTMARE
"The pitch is very flat, it's a bowlers' nightmare. If we had batted on that pitch, chances are that we would have scored 400 today," he said.
Hudson also warned Eltham not to bat too long, because they will be running the risk of securing a no-result.
"If Eltham bat too long, this match will end in a no result," he said. "Whatever score they make, we will surpass it," he said. Eltham's coach, Oral Simpson, has other ideas.
"We are definitely going to bat them out of the game ... we are not going to share any title with any school this year," said Simpson, while remembering his team's tied Colts final in 2003.
Simpson said they have not yet decided on their declaration target, but he did say they will have time to bowl out St. Catherine. He also said he wasn't surprised at his team's big total.
"The Melbourne track is a good batting pitch, we played here before so we knew all we had to do was to apply ourselves and the boys did that excellently today," Simpson said.
