Rowe's Strikers booked their place in the Jamaica Skittles Federation Wray and Nephew Premier League skittles semi-finals when they clipped arch-rivals Cherry's Strikers in a crucial match at the Mystix Sports Bar, Hagley Park Road, last Sunday.

The win means both teams are level on 24 points, but Rowe's Strikers finished ahead of Cherry's Strikers by virtue of their three victories over them in league play.

Eastern All-Stars topped the league with an unbeatable 36 points, while Mystix completed the list of semi-finalists with 22 points and a match in hand against lowly placed Meadowvale, who will be demoted to the Major League next season.

After winning the Pattex Cup competition earlier this season, the Portmore-based Meadowvale lost focus in this competition to the extent they lie at the bottom of the standings.

struck the first blow

Cherry's Strikers struck the first blow against Rowe's Strikers, racing into a 3-1 lead after Robert Bogle had got by Durrant Davis 1,300-1,100 and Basil Kelly out-cueing Winston Nevins 1840-810.

Rowe's Strikers pulled back one when their pool player, Colin Chandai maintained his cool to sink Ian Bryan before Karlene Donaldson extended Cherry's Strikers' lead by getting the better of Ruthlyn Bailey in the women's match. But Rowe's Strikers dug deep and levelled the scores through Garfield 'Milligram' Samuels and Roy Facey who beat David Adams and Dane Jones, res-pectively.

played brilliantly

Cherry's Strikers went ahead once more when Emmanuel Munda beat Everald McPherson, but Rowe's Strikers captain Raval Montague, played brilliantly to bring his team back into con-tention.

Reigning singles champion, Robert McKen then plastered Donovan Ashman to the delight of the Cherry's Strikers supporters but Rowe's Strikers won the two remaining games to clip their opponents and secure their place in tomorrow's semi-final against Mystix Strikers, who have vowed to win this competition in honour of departed teammate Allan Brown, who died in a motor vehicle accident in Portmore two weeks ago.

curtain raiser

The match, along with the opening major league semi-final between Waltham and Mister C, will be played at Cherry's Strikers home table at Hughenden Plaza, Molynes Road.

In last Sunday's curtain raiser, Cherry's Strikers were again on the losing end of a close match when they went down to Eastern All-Stars by the same margin.

O.C.