Paul Palmer ... got solid 63. - file

Old rivals St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) and Holmwood Technical will square off this morning in the Jamaica International Insurance Company (JIIC)-sponsored rural area high schools knockout cricket final, at the Manchester High school in Mandeville.

The match is slated to get under way at 10:00am with each team allotted 35 overs. In the semi-finals, STETHS, winners in 2009 and 2010, easily defeated Manchester High, the same team they have beaten in the last two finals. In their semi-final, Holmwood got the better of Old Harbour High by 36 runs in a game played at Port Esquivel sports ground.

Interestingly, Holmwood won the inaugural final in 2008, beating Vere Technical at the STETHS field in Santa Cruz. The two have not featured in a final for some time now.

While STETHS are regarded as a cinch to win owing to their supre-macy in every form of the game in the last four years, plus the fact they are missing only one player from last year's victorious squad, coach Clive Legister relishes the challenge to be facing Holmwood.

"Cricket is better when it is competitive, and whether we win or lose, we always expect to have a competitive game against Holmwood."

And he would know, as he and the Holm-wood coach Orville Pennant played against each other in two finals in the late 1980s.

The performers from the respective semi-finals are likely to prove the important players. Against Manchester High, the champions batted first and piled up an imposing 248 for 7 with captain Paul Palmer Jr leading the way with 78 and his Jamaica Under-19 teammate Brian Gayle getting 47.

Manchester High hardly made a challenge of getting the runs, and folded for 112 in 27 overs. Leg-spinner Cassius Burton Jr did most damage, snaring 4 for 24 off seven overs. However, the STETHS team is laden with current Jamaica youth squad members with bowling and batting depth.

Holmwood were able to defend 166 for 9 off their allotted 35 overs, with captain Taswayne Creary, younger brother of Andre, who also captained Holmwood, top scoring with 55. Old Harbour fell short after being bowled out for 130 with just over two overs remaining.

Spinner Rohan McKenzie then piloted the way with four wickets, while Demar Davis who contributed 36 with the bat, got two wickets.

Clive Legister, Orville Pennant