For decades, Barry Barnes has built a reputation as one of Jamaica’s most respected schoolboy cricket coaches, steering Manchester High to nearly every major title in the island’s youth cricket circuit. But one crown had long eluded the veteran mentor — until Saturday’s dramatic ISSA/GraceKennedy Twenty20 all-island Super 8 final at Clarendon’s Sir P Oval, where his side toppled long-time nemesis St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) by five wickets to claim the historic win, a victory Barnes calls “extra special.”
The showdown lived up to its billing as one of the most anticipated youth cricket matches of the Jamaican season. STETHS, the undisputed powerhouse of Jamaican schoolboy cricket, entered the final riding a wave of momentum against Manchester High, having beaten Barnes’ side in two previous 2024 season finals — the three-day Headley Cup and the rural T20 championship. After opening the batting, STETHS delivered a formidable performance led by captain Tyriek Bryan, who smashed an impressive 93 runs to anchor the side’s innings to a final total of 182 for 8 off their allotted overs. On a compact ground tailored for high-scoring T20 clashes, that total put massive pressure on Manchester High’s chasing side.
But it was Manchester captain Pajay Nelson who rose to the occasion, delivering a match-winning all-round performance that secured his side’s place in schoolboy cricket history. Normally a wicket-keeper, Nelson contributed in both innings: he claimed two key wickets for just 27 runs, supporting pace bowler Jahdae Moore who finished with figures of 3 for 29 to restrict STETHS’ late-innings scoring. Then, with the bat, Nelson produced a stunning knock of 92 runs, guiding Manchester to reach the target of 183 with one full over remaining, finishing on 186 for 5.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer following the win, Barnes — who also serves as a Jamaican national cricket selector — said the victory carried unique personal weight, as it completed his collection of every major schoolboy cricket title in Jamaica. “It was very satisfying to turn the tables on STETHS in this final. This was the only title I hadn’t won at the schoolboy level — I had won all other titles. So this one is a very special one that was promised to me by the team and they delivered,” he explained.
Barnes also praised the quality of cricket displayed by both sides, noting that the competitive match highlighted the strength of youth talent across Jamaica. “The conditions were good for T20 cricket and it’s a very small field, but I think cricket won at the end of the day. There were some outstanding performances from Tyriek Bryan of STETHS and Pajay Nelson of Manchester. I think Nelson was the deciding factor in the game. The way the boys chased the target, it was done extremely well. Whether the field is small or not, 180-odd runs is still a big total for schoolboys,” Barnes added.
For STETHS coach Carl Wright, the final result was a disappointing end to what he still calls a standout season for his program. Wright acknowledged that his side failed to capitalize on strong early batting momentum, leaving them just short of the mark needed to defend on the small ground. “We had a good start but in the latter part of the innings we didn’t capitalise. In the end, the score we got wasn’t good enough on a small field. It just wasn’t our day,” he said.
Even with the final loss, Wright highlighted that STETHS still turned in a dominant season performance, winning two out of three final meetings against Manchester High this year, including a victory over urban Grace Shield title-holders St Jago High in the all-island Spalding Cup play-off. “It was a good season — we contested three finals against Manchester and won two. We prevailed in most of the encounters but Manchester is a good team and congrats to them,” Wright added.
In the third-place match held ahead of the main final, Excelsior High claimed a 35-run victory over St Jago High. Rain reduced the match to 18 overs per side, with Excelsior posting 178 for 8 before restricting St Jago to 143 for 4 in their reply. The other four schools that reached the 2024 Super 8 stage of the tournament were Vere Technical, Tacky High, Campion College, and Jamaica College.