Will the 13th annual Camel Cup competition be Police's lucky year, or will it be business as usual in local cricket's most `exclusive' competition? Certainly Police, the only team of the four competing this weekend not to have won the cup -- or even reached the final -- could not have asked for a more difficult build-up to today's semi-final.

Not only are they playing possibly the strongest team in Bailey's Bay, but they go into the match at Wellington Oval without having played a game so far this season.

Suspensions from Wellington Oval will rob Bay of Jason Anderson and Corey Hill for today's match, though both will be eligible for the final if Bay advance.

As a result, Bay will dig into their reservoir of talent to find replacements for their wicketkeeper and strike bowler.

It will be an interesting match-up with Police relying on the experience of Ferdinand Thorne, Dennis Archer, Stevie Lightbourne, Richard Austin and Donovan Livingston while Bay will be again pushing their youngsters.

However, they will still depend heavily on captain Charlie Marshall, Glenn Blakeney and Ricky Hill in the batting and Clarkie Trott and Anthony Braithwaite in the bowling.

The odds are against Police breaking the stranglehold on the competition that has been held by St. George's, Bay, Western Stars and Devonshire Rec.

In 12 finals they are the only teams to win the competition, which involves the top four teams from the previous season's standings. In fact, no other team have even reached the final as Police and Willow Cuts have failed in previous semi-finals -- so victory today for Police would indeed be a major achievement.

St. George's and Western Stars, last year's finalists, will battle in the other semi-final at Police Field with St. George's bidding for their fifth straight final and eighth overall. Stars have also reached seven finals and Bay six.

Like Bay, St. George's have won both their opening matches in the league, but this will be, by far, their toughest test. The east enders were led to a record fourth victory last year by Clay Smith when they stopped Stars by five wickets -- going some way to avenging their loss to Stars in the 1996 final when they were skidded out for the lowest total in a final (62).

The St. George's team have been weakened by the departure of Smith, Clevie Wade, Kenny Phillip and Lionel Cann, but they are returning to full strength with the return from school this week of wicketkeeper Dean Minors and swing bowler bowler Gregg Foggo. Both are in the squad for today's match.

Stars will also be boosted by Albert Steede's return from school, though they will be without spinner Hasan Durham because of chickenpox.

Stars still have their usual veterans like captain Arnold Manders and his brothers Andre and Anthony, Treadwell Gibbons, brothers Gary and Alan Brangman and Cleon Scotland, who hit 97 against Warwick last weekend in their season-opener.

The winners of today's semi-finals will travel to St. David's tomorrow for the final. All matches are 50 overs, starting at noon.

A Bermuda Cricket Board of Control official confirmed yesterday that PHC had been awarded the points from their postponed match against Western Stars.

The match on the opening day of the season was not played because Stars could not find a field after their home field was not ready for play. But the Board, already pointing out that there are no provisions allowed for rescheduled matches, held Stars responsible as the home team for finding a venue.

"We felt it was insufficient notice given to PHC and that they (Stars) didn't do enough to get another field,'' said the official.

"We have no rescheduled matches and that is in the regulations for the season.'' A decision has not been made on the recent Police-Social Club match which was not played. Social Club showed up with only five players but neither team have sent in reports and no umpires showed at Police Field.