Jim Hawker, Chiang Mai

The stage is set for a thrilling climax to the 16th Chiang Mai International Sixes on finals' day Saturday after Friday's final second round matches at the Gymkhana Club produced a tantalising Cup semi-final lineup.

The first team to make their way through to the last four were last year's beaten Cup finalists, the powerful Gloucestershire Gypsies, who had no difficulty in beating their stablemates from the West country in England, the Yes-No-Wait-Sorries.

Despite the presence of former England Test player Kim Barnett and ex-Gloucestershire stalwart Andy Stovold, the Yes-No-Wait-Sorries lived up to their name by losing two batsmen to run outs as they stumbled to just 51-4.

That was never going to be enough to trouble the thoroughbred Gipsies and openers Paul Lazenbury (24 not out) and Keith Mustow (22 not out) knocked off the runs in just over three overs.

In Saturday's first semi-final at 11.45am, the Gipsies will take on 1999 Cup winners, the Perth Postels from Western Australia who saw off the challenge of the Stairway to Heaven Drifters from England.

The main man for the Postels Friday was Sixes specialist, Mike "the Cat" Maher, who outshined South African star Kenny Jackson by compiling a cultured 22 not out as the Postels made short work of overhauling their target of 50.

The final Cup clash saw an equally-comprehensive win by locally-based Out of Africa who showed no mercy to their fellow Chiang Mai side, the CMW Warriors.

With former South African Test star Meyrick Pringle again in top form with the bat and the ball, and with Dean Henderson grabbing two wickets in two balls, Out of Africa bowled out the Warriors for just 31 and then knocked off the required runs in no time.

The way the results went was good news for defending champions, the Lord's Taverners, who qualified for the second semi-final as the best second-placed team in the three Cup pools.

The Western Australians will have it all to do Saturday, though, against the impressive Out of Africa outfit who most judges last night made slight favourites to win, along with the Gipsies in the first semi-final.

The two Australian teams, however, may well have something to say about that and anyone thinking of coming along to the idyllic Gymkhana Club setting Saturday would be well advised to arrive in time for the first semi-final just before noon.

The Bowl semi-finals will feature the Warathais from Newcastle, Australia against English touring side Jack Frost, and defending Bowl champions the Kiteboys against useful South African team Almar.

The Warathais were indebted to Bill Pappas (31 not out) in their win against fellow Australian team Darwin Dilettantes and the New South Welshmen are fancied to add the Bowl title to the Fancy Dress crown they won earlier in the week.

In the Plate, two former Sri Lankan Test stars, Roshan Mahanama and Amal Silva, provided the class and the runs to guide their respective teams, the B.A. Dragons from Wales and Silver State from Malaysia, to two victories apiece Friday and set up an interesting Plate final.

The Warbler Bunny Club, the best-supported team here thanks to their entourage of glamourous girl fans from their sponsors' watering hole, unfortunately failed to capitalise on their storming victory in Thursday night's quiz, losing both their Plate games Friday, and will have to be content with a watching brief Saturday.

The Spoon final will be an intriguing local derby between the home team, the Gymkhana Cavaliers - who have hard-working tournament director Maurice Bromley in their side - and the other Chiang Mai Spoon side, the Gang Green un Irish Pub.

The action starts Saturday at 8.45am and includes the Swasdee Challenge schools match between Thai youngsters from Bangkok and Chiang Mai at 10am. The finals are scheduled to start at 2pm with the presentation of trophies at 5.30pm. Entry is free.

RESULTS

Cup - Pool One:

• Gloucestershire Gipsies 52-0 (Paul Lazenbury 24 n.o., Keith Mustow 22 n.o.) beat Yes-No-Wait-Sorries 51-4

Cup - Pool Two:

• Perth Postels 51-1 (Mike Maher 22 n.o.) beat Stairway to Heaven Drifters 49-3 (Paul Irons 21)

Cup - Pool Three:

• Out of Africa 32-0 beat CMW Warriors 31-6

Cup semi-final lineup: Gloucestershire Gipsies v Perth Postels; Out of Africa v Lord's Taverners

Bowl - Pool One:

• Warathais 49-0 (Bill Pappas 31 n.o.) beat Darwin Dilettantes 48-1 (Roger Weckert 24 n.o., Gary Hancock 23 n.o.)

Bowl - Pool Two:

• Darjeeling 78-1 (George Appleton 29 n.o.) beat Almar 73-3 (Neil Johnson 34 n.o. Steve Mendes 26)

Bowl - Pool Three:

• Jack Frost 62-0 (Tim Klimcke 33 n.o.) beat DCC Bull's Brothers 61-3

Bowl semi-final lineup: Warathais v Jack Frost; Kiteboys v Almar.

Plate:

• B.A. Dragons 45-1 (Roshan Mahanama 25 n.o.) beat Worcester Police 39-1
• Silver State 69-1 (Amal Silva 31 n.o.) beat Warbler Bunny Club 58-2 (Paddy Bateson 29 n.o.)
• Silver State 74-0 (Amal Silva 32 n.o.) beat Worcester Police 70-0 (Dave Cole-Parsons 33 n.o.)
• B.A. Dragons 83-1 (Roshan Mahanama 31 n.o.) beat Warbler Bunny Club 48-2

Plate final: B.A. Dragons v Silver State.

Spoon:

• Gymkhana Cavaliers 77-0 (Terry Kersey 31 n.o.) beat Shenanigans Ios Malakas 60-4
• Wombats 59-3 beat Pectel 69ers 48-1 (Paul Cooper 29)
• Bangkok Postels 62-1 (Mick Burns 28 n.o.) beat Pectel 69ers 61-2

Spoon final: Gymkhana Cavaliers v Gang Green Un Irish Pub.