Richard Bryan, Star Writer

Despite being given a tough initiation by perennial winners St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) in the Headley Cup final earlier this week at Alpart Sports Club, Tacky's coach remains confident his unit will return better equipped next year.

"I can assure you Tacky will learn from this experience. We'll come back next year and be better prepared," said their coach Jefferton Meek.

Tacky, who hail from Gayle in St Mary, were handed a humiliating 363 defeat, after being bowled out for 71 in 51 overs on day two, in reply to STETHS' first-innings total of 231, and then for 55 in 26 overs on the final day, after being set an impossible target of 418 in 37 overs.

While they were spared the ignominy of a possible innings defeat when STETHS declined to enforce the option of the follow on, after lunch on the second day, they were kept in the field longer than expected as the champions gave their players opportunities to land personal milestones on the final day.

distinction

Captain Paul Palmer Jr, who was not out on 82, at lunch after starting the day on 12, went on to score 104 and claim the distinction of being the first player to score three centuries in a Headley Cup final. Casius Burton Jr, the leg-spinner who had earlier tormented them with six for 15 when they batted, shared in a punishing 130-run partnership with Palmer.

Meek, who has handled the cricket programme at Tacky since it began in 1998, said he had fair expectations when his team turned up for the final. The team had earlier beaten a former champion Vere Technical easily by 96 runs in the semi-finals and were expected to put in a better effort.

"We came to play good cricket and to put up a challenge," Meek said.

"On the first day when we had them at 68 for 4 and then 115 for 5, we had done exceptionally well and to eventually bowl them out for 231, I thought we were in the game."

"But STETHS are a different kettle of fish. They are more aggressive than any team we have played, and the fact that they are coming at you with better quality players always kills you," Meek added.

The coach, who represented St Mary High in the Headley Cup between 1984 and 1986, tried his best to motivate the players, but it was clear the occasion might have been too much for them.

Meek said his players were further deflated by the premature departure of their captain, John Campbell, who was summoned at the end of the first day to Barbados, as part of a West Indies Under-19 training camp for an upcoming series against Australia in Dubai.

top-scorer

Campbell, who had taken 46 wickets prior to the finals, showed his worth with the ball snaring three of the eight wickets to fall on day one, including the important scalps of in-form opener Sheldon Samuels, Palmer (34) and the innings' top-scorer Vaneil Bromfield (65).

Meek, however, seemed to suggest his more vital contribution would have been with the bat.

"We knew he was going to leave but on Wednesday, so we would have had him to bat on Tuesday.

"He is our captain, and the one who provides a lot of the inspiration, he is our best player and came at the top of the order. When the players heard that he was leaving on Monday a lot of them were disappointed and they were even saying that in the team meeting."

Despite the obvious strength of the STETHS bowling loaded with players in the national-youth set-up, he was sure Campbell would have been able to handle it or provide some kind of resistance.

For Tacky to compete in the future, he feels additional ways have to be found to expose his players.

"I need to find ways and means to get my boys being exposed to more cricket and higher competition. They need more experience before they can take on a team like STETHS."