Once again YMPC will be looking to their captain and premier batsman Dwayne Smith to lead the way in today's encounter. (Picture by Charles Pitt-Grant.)

by HAYDN GILL

CAN ANYONE stop Sagicor UWI and can Banks continue their impressive late season surge?

Those are two of the burning questions ahead of today's hyped-up Sagicor General Super Cup semi-finals.

The grounds at Beckles Road and Black Rock should be a hive of activity from 9:30 a.m. as the four teams go after a place in the final on November 3. There is all to play for when Caribbean Lumber YMPC host UWI and Carib Carlton entertain Banks.

For whatever reasons, UWI do not attract a huge fan club, but as the competition has progressed, they have installed themselves as favourites after an outstanding 100 per cent winning record on the way to eight victories.

YMPC, last season's Division 1 champions, should be their sternest test to date.

UWI, comprising a host of non-nationals, have had most of their runs from Floyd Reifer and Vincentian Romel Currency, but others, including captain Shirley Clarke and opener Omar Phillips – can step up to the plate.

If their bowling isn't as strong as their batting, it has been able to do the job, and Khismar Catlin, a tall fast bowler, has caught the eye with his genuine pace.

YMPC would be buoyant after their quarter-final win against Division 1 finalists Banks and as long as Dwayne Smith and Fidel Edwards are around, they are always a threat.

The support staff like Lonsdale Blake, Ryan Wiggins, William Lashley and Calvin Watson are also vital to their cause.

It is difficult to predict a winner at Beckles Road and it is a similar story at Black Rock.

Banks have hardly put a foot wrong in recent weeks. In both competitions, they eased into the quarter-finals as fourth-placed qualifiers and have continued to produce upsets.

In Division 1, they beat YMPC at the quarter-final stage and Empire in the semi-finals, and in the Cup, they took care of Zone winners BNB
St Catherine in the quarter-finals in their own backyard at Bayfield.

Eyes will be on Barbados hopeful Jonathan Carter, and a lot will also depend on veterans Winston Reid and Sherwin Campbell.

Cartlon lost four successive matches in Division 1, but have played impressively in the limited-over competition. They boast of three Barbados KFC Cup selectees – Corey Collymore, Dale Richards and Carlo Morris – and will also expect good things from Kirk Gibson, Kurt Wilkinson and Marlon Graham.

In the event that no results are possible today, tomorrow is a reserve day.