Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

SUPER CUP champions St. Elizabeth and Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) face off in today's feature quarter-final match as teams jostle for semi-final spots in the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) All-Island limited-overs competition.

In other matches today, Melbourne host Portland at Melbourne Oval, Police entertain Lucas at Elletson Road and Manchester travel to Goodyear Oval to play St. Thomas.

The clash between JDF and St. Elizabeth at Alpart is viewed, at least by the players, as a grudge contest as the soldiers parade a number of St. Elizabeth parishioners.

The JDF's Kamal Dennis, Mel Wint, Joseph Palmer and Melvin Wallace are all from that parish.

St. Elizabeth coach, Richard Walters, said there was always an edge to the games.

"We always have a rivalry against each other," Walters said. "We always try to prove a point against each other."

Naturally, he anticipates a keenly contested match. It's always a good match-up between the two teams," he said. "I am expecting a hard-fought game."

Walters said his team faced a number of challenges at it had not trained together since Hurricane Dean.

"Also, we were just crowned the Super Cup champions, so everyone will be coming after us," he said. St. Elizabeth's charge for a semi-final spot will be led by Shawn Findlay, the team's top batsman, Davian Davidson, Howard Powell and Shane Powell.

Main dangers

In the bowling department, captain Ainsley Goss, Conroy Miller, Wayne Simpson and Howard Powell should be the main dangers to the army men.

Walters' opposite number, Leighton Brown, also expects a tough contest.

"I think it's going to be a tough game," he said while saying his players had also not trained since the hurricane.

"We are not going there to make it easy. It's a quarter-final, but playing at home, JDF's batting will be spearheaded by Wint, Joseph Palmer, Mark Grey and Berston Reid.

"These (players) will be among the runs ... we look to them to give us the runs," Brown said.

In the bowling, he was placing his faith in Howard Copeland, Warren Medwinter, Kamal Dennis and Grey. "We have experience (in this department) and that should give us the edge," he said.