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Surrey Senior Cup champions Lucas, and Middlessex Senior Cup champions St. Ann square-off in the final of the first Rothmans national cricket championship at Chedwin Park today starting at 10:00.

In the competition which brings together the winners of each section of the Senior Cup, Lucas won a place in the final after clipping Cornwall champions St. Elizabeth on first innings in the semi-finals.

St. Ann drew a bye into the final and with both teams parading a mixture of experienced and young, promising players, with both teams hunting their first national title and the winners prize of $100,000, the three-day contest promises to be a thrilling affair.

As was the case when they took on St. Elizabeth at Kensington Park, Lucas start favourites. St. Ann, however, are brimful of confidence and believe they will be the first rural team to lift a national title since 1990 when the clubs and parishes contested the first all-island two-day and limited-over competitions.

In winning their first major title in 28 years, however, Lucas are determined to go all the way.

Led by Jamaica and West Indies A teenage opening batsman Christopher Gayle and veteran Delroy Morgan, the Lucas batting includes Royan Smith, Kevin Riley, Garnett Murray, Ryan Wellington, Oneil Cruickshank and captain and wicketkeeper Andre Coley and with pacers Anshuman Kentish and Xavier Gilbert, spinners Wayne Gayle and Norvel Britton, plus the offspin of Chris Gayle and Morgan and the medium-pace of Cruickshank, the boys from Nelson Oval boast a nicely balanced aggregation.

Back-to-back champions of Middlesex, St. Ann also boast a good line-up of batsmen and a competent attack - the batting to come from Jamaica and West Indies A opener Leon Garrick, Karl McDonald, Glenmore Hall, Keithroy Whilby, Howard Harris, William McKoy, Norris Jackson, Olanzo Harris and Anthony Barrett, the bowling from pacers Rashard Marshall, Ainsley Edwards and Courtney Laing, left-arm spinner Andre Dwyer, allrounders Olanzo Harris, who bowls offspin, and Whilby, who bowls medium-pace, and possibly also from Derwin Hillock who bowls offspin.

With the attack of both teams comprising mainly inexperienced bowlers and with the Chedwin Park pitch usually good for batting, the showdown could be a high-scoring affair - especially if Christopher Gayle and Garrick get going.

The batsman who could determine the outcome, however, the one who the teenaged bowlers of Lucas must be praying they will cut down early, is Howard Harris - the big hitter who, in typical style, smashed two sixes and eight fours while cracking 57 off 42 deliveries in the rain-ruined Sandals limited-over match against many-time all-island champions and defending County champions Melbourne at Melbourne Oval last Saturday.