Former world number one Peter Nicol takes on more recent former world number one Lee Beachill in an all-English semi-final tonight after the two favourites battled their way into the final four last night.

There had been some debate earlier in the week as to who was the defending champion. Nicol won the last Masters, Beachill the last Bermuda tournament ? but the talking will stop at 7.30 tonight when the two stylish but contrasting players and practice partners take to the court.

They will both go into the game relatively fresh, having dropped just one game each so far in the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters although both won their matches without truly being tested or, and both will admit this, playing at their absolute best.

Nicol was first up last night and he was offered a treat as his potentially dangerous opponent James Willstrop arrived with the previous day?s baggage weighing heavy on his shoulders.

Willstrop took nearly 100 minutes to dispose of Anthony Ricketts in the second round and from the first rally it was clear he was going to struggle to keep pace with the wily Nicol, a veteran of dealing with such situations.

The younger man wilted as time passed, barely keeping his feet after particularly gruelling rallies as the elder statesman nudged and pushed his tiring opponent around the court with a glint in his eye.

?It was obvious straightaway he was really tired,? said Nicol, pursuing his 50th Professional Squash Association title here this week.

?I knew what I had to do and I have the experience to make the most of the situation. I had him running back to the same corner again and again, going deep, deep, deep and then throwing in a short one.

?It is the best way to play, although he did recover and play some great shots in the second.?

Nicol took the first 11-5 and even when going down 13-11 in the second after blowing three game points, the overall result never appeared in any genuine doubt.

The 32-year-old, truly the gentleman of the game and the complete antithesis of potential final opponent Jonathon Power, has both the delicate touch and the killer instinct to be a dangerous customer and he will prove an awkward foe for Beachill tonight.

Beachill, as he proved in the final three of his four games last night, has a game built on withering length and reliability and he used it to full effect to toss young Egyptian prodigy Karim Darwish out of the tournament.

The number eight seed played with the same cunning and deceit all his desert brethren possess and he took the game to the 2004 Bermuda Open champion from the start.

The Englishman?s length was a little off in the opening game and Darwish was only too keen to pounce with devastating effect whenever he could, which only frustrated Beachill more and he meekly limped off the court after a 7-11 reverse.

But with some stiff words delivered from a member of the large English coaching fraternity in the break, Beachill was back to his ominous best for the remaining games, exhibiting absolute dominance of the T and keeping Darwish from playing his natural attacking game.

Consecutive games of 11-7 and 11-3 set up what should have been a straightforward end to the last quarter-final until the Egyptian put on a stubborn exhibition of drop shots to come back from 9-4 to tie things up at 9-9 each.

However, his good work was undone by two ruthless strokes from Beachill who claimed the honours and a place in the final four once again.

?I didn?t start that great,? said a sweaty but relaxed looking Beachill in the post-match analysis.

?Karim is a tough opponent who can take over the game if you let him, which he did early on.

?I had to work my way back into the game, although it was a lot harder than I would have liked.?