Eltham, Innswood to contest Grace Shield final
Five- time champions Eltham High have joined Innswood High in the final of the ISSA/Grace Shield competition after both topped their respective section in yesterday’s last round of matches.
The final is scheduled for three days from next Wednesday through Friday at the Melbourne Oval off Derrymore Road.
The defending champions defeated Norman Manley by an innings and 41 runs to remain on course to snatch their sixth straight Grace Shield title. Eltham’s 206 for nine declared against the Maxfield Avenue-based school’s paltry scores of 77 and 78 left them joint top of section one along with St Catherine High, who lost out due to an inferior head-to-head record.
In section two, Innswood, who lost to Eltham in last year’s final, racked up 730 for eight declared after securing first innings points in reply to Wolmers’ 109. The Heroes Circle-based boys reached 92 for four when bad light forced an end to the match. Innswood’s huge total was reached courtesy of Oraine Williams attacking 285 off 303 balls faced. He was supported by Oshane Morgan, who made 143 and Kemar Foster who fell six runs short of a century.
In another section one match St Catherine (168) beat A-League champions Meadowbrook (78 and 70) by an innings and 20 runs thanks to Coi Thompson’s match haul of 12 for 59.
— SANJAY MYERS