Male teachers who make up the St Catherine JTA/Errol Miller 20/20 Cricket team on Wednesday stoutly defended the title in a keenly contested final played at the Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston.

St Catherine have now won the competition three times in a row having done so in 2011, 2012 and now 2013.

Batting first, St Catherine made 198 for seven off their allotted 20 overs. Kemmar Cox 51, Wayne Morgan 49 and Rajiv Chatrie 39 not out were the batsmen into double figures.

Xavia Scott of Portland 3-31, Delvin Baker 3-38 were the pick of the bowlers. Responding Portland were restricted to 105 for six in their allotted 20 overs.

Wayne Morgan topped an all-round performance with 3-8 in three overs and with his 49 runs was named Man of the Match.

The cricket competition is an annual event that was first named the Jamaica Teachers’ Association Cricket Competition. The name was changed to JTA/Errol Miller Cricket Competition in 2004.

The Competition, which is normally staged during the second term of the school year, is governed under the Jamaica Cricket Association with the rules formulated by the JTA’s National Sport Committee.

This year, as happened in 2010, members of the winning team, along with a selected group, will participate in the Caribbean Union of Teachers’ Les Harris Cricket Competition scheduled for St Lucia, April 5-7.