TWO close and exciting matches are expected this Sunday in the semifinals of the seventh annual Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC)-organised, Guyana Beverages Company-sponsored Busta Champion of Champions tournament. The defending champions Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) are favoured to reach the final once again.
They will be facing a determined West Berbice lineup at the Albion Community Centre ground, while Young Warriors would face Port Mourant Karibee Rice at the Port Mourant ground.
RHTGG will be strengthened by the return of their three national players from South Africa in batsmen Assad Fudadin and Royston Crandon and all-rounder Esaun Crandon, with Royston Crandon and Fudadin being expected to lead the batting with support from Delbert Hicks, Renwick Batson, Jason Sinclair and Eon Hooper.
Esaun Crandon can offer support with the bat and he is expected to lead the bowling attack against the West Berbicians who have been developing over the years, with players like Eon Gibson along with spinners Ravi Narine, Troy Mathieson, Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Shawn Perreira and Damon Vantull.
West Berbice are going to  depend heavily on the talented Arthley Bailey, Kwesi Mentore, Krisendat Ramoo, Keith Fraser and Steffon Adams to put runs on the board for the bowling attack to put pressure on the defending champions batting lineup.
National fast bowler Keon Joseph, who recently took a helmet-trick in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Tenelec first division competition, will be the spearhead of the West Berbice attack.
To back up Fraser will be former national Under-19 fast bowler Keyron Fraser, spinners Ramoo, Leroy Bristol, Sherwin McPherson and Kenje Sedoc, with Dhieranidranauth Somwaru and Mahendra Singh being the men in charge of this contest.
The other semifinal between Port Mourant Karibee Rice and Young Warriors promises to be a thriller, as both teams are evenly matched on paper.
Port Mourant Karibee Rice batting will be lead by national player Homchand Pooran, with Moshin Peerkhan, Rajendra Latcha, Devindra Takurdeen and the big-hitting Rajiv Ivan offering support. Their aim is to post a total for their bowlers to defend.
The bowling will be in the capable hands of medium pacer Yogindra Harrinarine and spinners Steven Latcha, Rajendra Bolo, Shameer Khan, Rajendra Latcha, Ivan and Pooran – all useful bowlers in their own right, capable of destroying any local batting lineup on their day.
Young Warriors at full strength will include national T20 opener Richard Ramdeen and national middle-order batsman Gajanand Singh, returning to lend support to Farouk Hussain, Wahied Edwards, Seon Hetmyer and the experienced Anil Beharry.
National medium pacer Paul Wintz and left-arm Devindra Ramoutar will share the new ball while Beharry, Hussain, Balram Samaroo and Kevin Ramdeen will provide back-up with their spin bowling.
The umpires for this fixture are Roshan Moakhan and Rafik Latiff. Play in both semifinals will commence at 09:30 h.