Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Defending champions Melbourne will look to take another big step towards retaining their title when they face St Elizabeth, as semi-final action in the Capital & Credit limited-overs cricket competition bowls off at the Kensington cricket ground today.

In the day's other semi-final Kensington will travel to the Police Cricket Club ground where they will face a gritty St. Catherine CC. The men from Melbourne, who are yet to savour the taste of defeat in the competition this season, will be hoping that batsman Carlton Baugh Jr. continues to bat to current form. Baugh, who was also very much the hero when his team got the better of Manchester in the finals last year, has had an impressive showing in the last couple of games. The wicketkeeper smashed an impressive half-century in a narrow victory against St. James in the final game of the preliminary round, before striking a devastating 114, inclusive of 10 fours and eight sixes, in a seven-wicket win over Westmoreland in last week's semi-finals. St Elizabeth, who battled to top a very close Zone B ahead of Police, will start second favourites for today's encounter, but will hope to contain Melbourne with their bowling attack.

The promised land

At the Police Cricket Club ground Kensington skipper Wavell Hinds and David Bernard Jr. will look to lead their team to the promised land, having crashed out of the competition at the quarter-final stage last year. They will, however, face a stern challenge against Zone C runner away winners St. Catherine, who will look to a bowling attack that has been very impressive in all competitions, spearhead by leg-spinner Odean Brown and pace bowler Jermaine Lawson.