Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

St Ann's Shane Powell pulls the ball to the boundary, as the Jamaica Defence Force's wicketkeeper, Mel Wint, takes evasive action in the Senior Cup Final at Chedwin Park yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

After losing first-innings points on Saturday's first day, not many would have betted on St Ann coming back to win the final of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Senior Cup competition.

But lo and behold, that was the case as, led by 7-95 from national Under-19 leg-spinner Patrick Harty, and a masterful 107 from former national batsman Shane Powell, on yesterday's second and final day, the men from the north coast came roaring back to win and with it gain promotion to next year's semi-pro Super League.

In what was one of the closest Senior Cup finals in years, the JDF gained the ascendancy after claiming first-innings points by two runs.

Deft spin

Batting first, the JDF made 110 with veteran Wayne Cuff making 23 against the deft spin of Harty, who was named to Jamaica's Under-19 14-man squad early last week.

St Ann, in reply, despite 32 from Powell, could only muster 108, with off-spinner Akbar Moodie claiming 5-14.

With first innings honours in the bag and a slim lead, the JDF, who resumed the second day at 52-2, faltered somewhat in yesterday's morning session and posted 250, with Damion Gray smashing an even 100 and the in-form Joseph Palmer, 57.

With a victory target of 253 off 55 overs in just under two sessions, St Ann, marshalled by the hard-hitting Powell and Marlon Pinnok, 42, then achieved their target with three overs to spare in fading light.

No promotion

"It feels great to be champions. We have worked so hard for this for the past three years. In 2007, we won but there was no promotion that year and last year we were beaten in the semi-finals.

"We lost some of our key players this season, namely Xavier Marshall to West Indies duties, but were always confident we could win and kept fighting until the end," said St Ann coach, Cleon Smith, who is also coach of the national women's teams.

JDF's coach, staff sergeant Steve Wallace, was lost for words, saying that his team failed to put away the match.

"The feeling is not very good. We played bad cricket on both days. We had the chance to bat and take the game away from St Ann and failed. We now have to win the play-off as we would not feel comfortable playing the Senior Cup again," said Wallace.

The JDF will play Super League seventh-place finishers, Westmoreland Wizards, for a place in next year's semi-pro league.