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The Rothmans Senior Cup cricket competition appears heading for close finishes in two sections, and although the standard of play leaves much to be desired, although the fans continue to stay away, the Board and the sponsors should be pleased with the promise of excitement during the final rounds.

In the Cornwall section, defending champions St. Elizabeth are eight points ahead of Westmoreland and with two rounds to go seem set to retain the title.

It is, however, a different story in the Surrey and the Middlesex sections.

In the Surrey section, Lucas are on top with 34 points, followed by Melbourne on 30, Jamaica Defence Force on 26, Kingston CC on 25, and St. Catherine CC on 24 and the leaders have a great chance to win their first title in 28 years.

With three rounds to go however, Lucas, with St. Catherine CC and JDF, two of the top teams, as two of their last three opponents, must be looking over their shoulder at defending champions Melbourne who have picked up the running after a poor start and whose last three matches include two against the weaker teams - one against Boys' Town and one against Kensington.

In the Middlesex section, defending champions St. Ann are in front on 16 points followed by St. Mary on 14 and St. Catherine on 13, and with St. Ann to play Clarendon and Manchester, St. Mary to play Clarendon and St. Catherine, and St. Catherine up against Manchester and St. Mary, the race is still wide open with St. Ann the favourites.

While a thrilling finish to two of the three sections of the all-island competition would certainly warm the hearts of the Board members and the sponsors, it probably would not matter to the fans.

Apart from their continued disappointment with the standard of play, the fans are fed up with the behaviour of many of the players - not only when, in their opinion, umpiring decisions go against them, but also for the sledging which takes place on the field.

Too many players make unsporting remarks and criticise their opponents during play - batsmen and bowlers alike, and the result is the sort of unsporting behaviour which sees a bowler, after dismissing a batsman, shouting unkind remarks at him and sending him off to the pavilion as if to say ``get off the field'', and which sees a batsman responding by shouting at the bowler as if he is ready for a confrontation.

Every player wants to do well, every player wants his team to win, and every team wants to win. Such behaviour, however, is not good for the game, such behaviour is not cricket, and the Board should protect the image of the game.

Up to now, umpires have done nothing about it, and the Board should instruct them to do something about it.