Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Determined to cop the Twenty20 and one-day double, St Catherine Cricket Club will entertain defending champions Melbourne in the semi-final of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) all-island limited overs championship at Chedwin Park today.

One of two matches on the day, the 50-over encounter is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m., the same time as the other semi-final between Kensington versus Manchester at Kensington Park.

Two of the nation's top cricketing clubs, Melbourne and St Catherine, who will each be without two of their top players due to the ongoing WICB President's Cup one-day tournament in Guyana, will have on parade some of the best up-and-coming talents in the home team's Shacoya Thomas and Garth Garvey, and the visitors' Yannick Elliot, Andre McCarthy and John Ross Campbell.

These players, coupled with the experienced heads of St Catherine's sidelined Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert, Jermaine Lawson, Andre Russell, Bevon Brown and Melbourne's Donovan Pagon, are expected to provide spectators with a showdown that is interesting and intriguing, with both teams having a history of strong rivalry.

Defending champions

"Against Melbourne, we have to go out on the ball and get things going from the first ball as they are the defending champions and want to retain their crown," said Lambert.

In last week's quarter-finals, St Catherine, behind an unbeaten 97 not out from Lambert, strolled past St Catherine Cricket Association by seven wickets, while Melbourne were led to their win by Elliott, who scored 43 not out.

"Our style of cricket and the kind of players we have fit the limited overs version, and we are looking forward to defend our title," said Pagon, who will deputise as captain in the absence of Baugh.

"We have a lot of youngsters here at Melbourne who have been doing well in junior and senior competitions, who are ready and willing to step up. It will be challenging, but we are up for the challenge," he added.

At Kensington Park, the home team is expected to welcome the return of regular captain, left-arm wrist-spinner Dennis Bulli, who was playing overseas, and will be looking to challenge Manchester, who won the two-day Super League and reached the final of the Red Stripe Twenty20 championship.

"We are expecting back Bulli and this should give us added impetus. We are on a high after defeating Hanover on a bowl-out the quarter-finals and with Manchester defeating us in the Twenty20 quarter-finals, we have a score to settle," said Kensington manager, Ralph Hinckson, who will also look to Maurice Kepple and Rasheed Outar.

Manchester, in the meanwhile, will have on their books Krishmar Santokie, Donovan Sinclair and Zeniffe Fowler and will start as favourites.

"Everybody is upbeat and are pulling together. We won the two-day and Twenty20 and is looking to finish off by winning the 50 overs," said captain, Gary Graham, whose team defeated St Ann in the second round and, by virtue of the luck of the draw, drew a bye in the quarter-finals.