Coach Bailey hails Excelsior urban T20 cricket triumph

After Excelsior High secured their second title of the schoolboy cricket season last week, head coach Kirkland Bailey says the team’s depth has been integral.

Excelsior, who already had their hands on the 2025 ISSA Grace Shield title, added the First Global Bank urban area Twenty20 (T20) crown to this season’s collection when they defeated Kingston College (KC) by 76 runs in the final at Melbourne Oval on April 14.

Though the margin of defeat indicated Kingston College were outplayed, it wasn’t all straightforward for Excelsior after they won the toss and opted to bat first.

Excelsior lost key batsmen David Dewar and skipper Demarco Scott for zero and five, respectively, to slip to 14-2, and had to rely on Justin Adlam’s 30-ball 57 and Geovanni Grey’s unbeaten 43 from 30 deliveries to lift them to 191-5.

KC opener Kev’Aundre Virgo threatened to take the game away from Excelsior with a punishing knock that catapulted them to 91 without loss in the 11th over. But Excelsior’s bowlers, led by Scott and Nicoli McKenzie, who claimed three wickets each, tightened the screws to dismiss KC for only 115. Virgo top-scored for Kingston College with 71 from 36 balls.

Scores: Excelsior 191-5 (20 ovs); Kingston College 115 (18.1 ovs)

“A team with depth will most times find a way to win,” the Excelsior coach told the Jamaica Observer.

“We showed good resolve after having a poor start with the bat. It showed the depth in our batting that we were still able to make 191.

“Once we got that total we felt we had enough to cover the KC onslaught that Virgo would provide… we had enough of a buffer and it proved to be the case. The boys came back with the ball after the 10th over… and started to pick away with the wickets,” Bailey said.

He pointed to not having leg spinner Tamarie Redwood this season due to various reasons. The teenage sensation took seven wickets in an innings on his Jamaica senior team debut in February.

“My team has shown depth in both batting and bowling, winning the Grace Shield without Tamarie Redwood bowling a single ball,” Bailey said.

He added that the team’s main batsmen haven’t scored heavily during this campaign and yet Excelsior have consistently posted winning totals.

As Grace Shield champions, Excelsior are scheduled to face GraceKennedy General Insurance Headley Cup winners St Elizabeth Technical in the three-day all-island Spalding Cup contest, set to start Tuesday.

Following that, Excelsior and rural area T20 champions Manchester High are set to feature among eight teams in the all-island T20 tournament.

The Excelsior coach insisted his team is hungry for more glory.

“The season has gone as planned thus far and the young men are working assiduously to see if we can get a few more trophies before it’s all said and done,” Bailey said.