The battle for places in the final of the urban area ISSA/Grace Shield cricket competition will intensify today and tomorrow with the playing of the final set of semi-final matches across Kingston and St Catherine.

At Eltham High, reigning champions and unbeaten Eltham will host Waterford High, while Excelsior will welcome 'A' League champions Campion College at Courtney Walsh Oval, on the school grounds at Mountain View Avenue, in section one games.

Newcomers and surprise team

In section two, Kingston College (KC) will go up against out-of-contention Calabar High, while newcomers and surprise team of the competition, Innswood High, will entertain last year's beaten finalist St Catherine High, who are out of the runnings.

Eltham, with national Under-19 pacer, Romeo Dunca, who has been starring with both ball and bat, will be gunning for at least first innings points and thus a berth in the final ahead of Excelsior, who must beat Campion outright and hope that Waterford surprise the champions and take at least first innings points.

KC, in the meanwhile, who are being led by national Under-19 and senior team leg-spinner Akeem Dewar, could book their spot in the final for the first time in almost a decade, should they get the better of Calabar and St Catherine upset Innswood.

However, should Innswood beat St Catherine, the Bernard Lodge-based institution would qualify for their first major final.

Semi-finalists decided today

Meanwhile, the semi-finalists in the rural area Grace Headley Cup will be decided today.

In Group One, St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who are seeking the double after earlier winning the knockout competition, will entertain Muschette High, while beaten knockout finalist, Manchester, will be at home to Frome Technical.

Rusea's, who are two from two in the round and favoured to advance, will go up against former champions Holmwood at Holmwood, while Cornwall College will do battle with Munro in the second city in Group Two. In Group Three, Vere Technical will welcome Charlemont and Brown's Town travel to Seaforth.

In Group Four, Clarendon College will face Dinthill Technical at Clarendon College, and Tacky will play against Port Antonio at Tacky.