The Champion of Champions competition has always involved three counties teams but the timing of this year's BF&M Insurance Cup means that four are chasing spots in Monday's final at White Hill Field.

That's because the Eastern Counties representatives, who have a bye into Monday's final, have not yet been determined with the final scheduled for today.

As a result today's match between Bailey's Bay and St. David's will serve in some way as the second semi-final for the Champion of Champions as the winners will earn the right to advance to the final.

Their opponents will be determined tomorrow when Central and West champions, Western Stars and Willow Cuts, meet in the semi-final, also at White Hill Field.

Monday's Labour Day final should be exciting no matter who the teams are as each have won the cup before, three of them in the last four years.

Just twice since the competition began back in 1978 when the great Sir Garry Sobers was here to present the trophy to Flatts, has a team won back to back titles. Southampton Rangers achieved it in 1980-81 and current defending champions Western Stars in the past two years.

Being the first team to win the cup three straight years will be incentive enough when Stars take on Willow Cuts in tomorrow's semi-final. If they accomplish that they will also become the most successful team in the competition, breaking the four-wins-each tie they have with Devonshire Rec.

This was the only trophy to evade Bailey's Bay last year as they swept virtually all before them before losing to Stars in the Champion of Champions final by 95 runs.

Last year's final was reduced to 30 overs after rain the previous day forced the semi-final between Bay and Willow Cuts to be carried over to the morning of the final before Bay advanced with a one-wicket triumph.

Predictions would lean towards a Stars-Bay final on Monday, but Willow Cuts are tired of playing second fiddle to the teams from the east and are determined to prove west teams can win things, too.

Willow Cuts had their only success in the Champion of Champions Cup in 1991 while Bay have to go back much further -- 1986 -- for their last triumph.

Central Counties teams have dominated this competition which began under the Benson and Hedges sponsorship before BF&M took over last year. Of the 16 finals, eight have been won by Central Counties teams Devonshire and Stars, leaving no doubts as to which counties contain the strongest teams.

The Eastern and Western Counties teams have each won the cup four times, with Southampton Rangers having had three triumphs and Bailey's Bay just two.