Marcello Manteit stars as Holy Trinity wins second straight NMCA Jika Shield title

Holy Trinity romped to back-to-back NMCA Jika Shield premierships as gun all-rounder Marcello Manteit produced an outstanding performance.

Holy Trinity celebrates its NMCA Luscombe Shield premiership.

After making history last season, Holy Trinity added another chapter on Sunday claiming back-to-back NMCA Jika Shield titles.

The Knights won their maiden top-flight premiership last season and defended their crown with a 103-run victory over Camrea at Moore Park.

Marcello Manteit was the hero, producing an outstanding performance with bat and ball, to inspire his club to victory.

The former captain scored 50, in a match-defining 103-run partnership with Matt O’Brien (58), to help Holy Trinity post 239 all out.

He then turned destroyer with the ball, ripping through Camrea with 5-46, to earn the grand final medal.

Aaron Shackleford lifts the Jika Shield.

Trinners coach Cale Volitakis said backing up a one-day premiership with a two-day flag was especially satisfying.

“That was a different white whale to chase, so that was added motivation,” Volitakis said.

“We’re all brought up on two-day cricket as the benchmark but through circumstances we ended up playing a few one-day seasons and getting one of both shows we’ve been able to pivot and get one in both forms of the game.

“The remarks were made by Camrea that we were 100 short after day one but it turns out we had 100 too many.”

After winning the toss and batting, Holy Trinity were in early trouble at 3-63 before O’Brien and Manteit changed the momentum.

The pair fell in quick succession before Ed Macciocca (26) added late runs to lift the club to a defendable total.

On day two, Camrea’s chase never got off the ground as it collapsed to 3-17 and then 7-79.

Rippu Daman attempted to steady the ship with a fighting 54, while Saman Muthuwadige (21 not out) provided support, however it was too little too late.

Marcello Manteit in action for Holy Trinity.

Manteit snared the first four wickets of the innings to wreak any hope of the Stringrays backing up their Quick Shield flag last season.

Jack Philpott took four catches for the match, including a “blinder” to remove Camrea skipper Blair Dawson.

“We were content with our score on day one … I felt 200 was a psychological benchmark and then every 10 thereafter was padding that we’d reap the benefits from,” Volitakis said.

“Matto had the grit and Marchy is a free-flowing batter but he reined it in, those two just wanted to get it done for the Trinners, they were exceptional.

“Marchy bowled a great opening spell that put the living daylights into them.

“One of their guys got hit in the cheek in the first over, he got a helmet on and got hit a second time, Marchy rattling the cage is like gold dust to us.

“He relinquished the captaincy because he’d moved out of the area and Shacks (Aaron Shackleford) has come in and done an excellent job.

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“Marchy’s game was phenomenal, I’m inspired by him on the ground, he bowls a good pace all day, bowls long spells, you know he’s going to catch everything and then his batting – he’s a threat in every form of the game.”

For Camrea, Muthuwadige (3-73), Tharindu Darshana (3-25) and Roshen Fernando (3-56) all impressed with the ball before Daman played a lone hand with the bat.

Meanwhile, Donath will step up to the top-flight next season after an eight-wicket win over Dennis to win the Quick Shield flag.

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