Latest News
Grace Shield, Headley Cup bowl off today
February 13, 2026
The 2026 ISSA First Global Bank Grace Shield and the ISSA GK Insurance Grace Headley Cup schoolboy cricket competitions will get under way today, with both defending champions in action.
In the urban U19 Grace Shield, two-time defending champions Excelsior High will play hosts to St Catherine High.
Drawn in Zone B, Excelsior are expected to walk away with a win, and head coach Kirkland Bailey is confident in his players' abilities.
However, Bailey said they will not be the same dominant force as before, but expects his players to make a deep run in the competition.
VERY COMPETITIVE
"I expect my boys to be competitive as usual. We will not be as dominant as we are customarily, but we should be very competitive and, hopefully, will be at the business end when the finals are being decided," Bailey said at the competition's launch yesterday.
Zone A will see a clash of two title contenders, as St Jago High will face off against Wolmer's Boys' in a reprise of the 2023 Grace Shield final.
St Jago have been on the cusp of championship triumph over the past three seasons, but had lost the 2023, 2024 and 2025 finals.
Wolmer's, on the other hand, last made a finals appearance in 2023, where they walked away as champions.
The top four teams from each zone will advance to the quarterfinals of the Grace Shield, where they will be placed in two groups of four.
The top two teams from each quarterfinal group will then advance to the semifinals, where they will play knockout games until a champion is crowned.
HEADLEY CUP
In the rural U19 Headley Cup, defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will begin their campaign when they travel to Munro College in Zone A action.
STETHS lifted their 38th title last year, and will be on the hunt for number 39. They are hoping for a convincing win over Munro to begin their title defence.
Last year's beaten finalists and 2024 champions, Manchester High, will begin their campaign in Zone B against Glenmuir High.
The top two teams from each zone, along with the next two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals of the Headley Cup, where they will be placed in two groups of four.
The top teams from each quarterfinal group will then advance to the semifinals, where they will play for a spot in the final.
