As the Courts/Suzuki Division 1 cricket championship moves into the homestretch this afternoon, it's a straight fight between long-standing front-runners Police and Cable & Wireless BET.

All roads, therefore, will lead to Queen's Park and Beckles Road for the key matches of the 12th and penultimate round of matches.

Neither side can afford to slip up.

Police head the standings by four points, but they face fairly tough opposition in the form of early leaders Big B Spartan.

It is true that Spartan have played disappointingly in recent matches - they lost to Mount Gay Maple and CHIC Schools North but Police will not underestimate a side that includes four trial invitees.

Police's new ball attack of Sylvester Louis and Emmerson Sealy has been a handful for many teams this season and Spartan will remember the encounter between the two teams last year when Louis had a ten-wicket match haul on an impaired pitch.

That match will long be remembered because of Leslie Reifer's decision to forfeit Police's second innings on the second day of the match. It was a move that led to an early victory for the lawmen on the final day.

BET have been playing some of their best cricket without Floyd Reifer and Courtney Browne and Brian Johnson's men will fancy their chances of maximum points over Sports & Games YMPC.

YMPC have not been much of a force without the established trio that left them this season, but a few wins recently will suggest that they are no walk-overs.

Standings:

Police 62, BET 58, Empire 44, Spartan 41, Maple 39, YMPC 36, Carlton 35, Pickwick 29, St. Catherine 29, Schools North 24, Banks 22, Wanderers 17, Schools South 10, BCL 8.