Bermuda's Gary Plumstead and Nick Kyme fought out the final of the Caribbean Squash Championships in Barbados last night.

The result was not known at press time, but an all-Bermuda final seemed at one stage somewhat in doubt, after Kyme, playing his semi-final first on the Centre Court, was taken to five games by the extremely fit Shawn Badrinath of Guyana who had defeated Bermuda No.3 Tommy Sherratt in the second round.

The young Islander started well, looking calm and controlling the rallies from the centre of the court, winning the opening game 9-4. In the second however, Kyme's concentration appeared to waiver against an opponent who was prepared to run down every shot and he lost it 9-4.

Although he upped his game in the third, winning it 9-4, he yet again let his standards slip in the fourth and went down 9-6.

The final game was very closely contested, with both players refusing to wilt under the furious pace. At five-all, with Kyme on serve, a long and explosive rally ensued, with both players working each up and down the court. Although Kyme lost the point, tinning a forehand drop shot with the court at his mercy, it was clear that the high tempo of the rally had taken its toll on Badrinath.

Keeping his head, Kyme kept the ball in play, using his superior fitness and patience to grind his exhausted opponent into the ground to take the game 9-5.

All this was after another demanding match in the quarter-finals where Kyme went to five games against Guyanese player Max Weithers, who has twice been crowned Caribbean champion. Yet again however, it was Kyme's superior fitness which saw him through to victory as Weithers struggled physically in the final game, losing it 9-0.

Plumstead's semi-final opponent was the number one ranked player in Trinidad, Paul DeVerteuil, who had himself endured an extremely tough quarter-final match against the Jamaican James Bullock.

The 31-year-old South African went on to produce arguably the performance of the tournament, bewildering his highly rated opponent in the first two games, in which he did not drop a point, with a combination of immaculate length and irretrievable drop volleys.

The packed crowd, who were for the most part on the side of the Trinidadian underdog, were stunned into a revered silence. And although Plumstead made a number of mistakes in the third, gifting DeVerteuil five points, the result was never in doubt and Plumstead's joy at ensuring an all Bermudian final was unconfined.

Despite his complete dominance of the semi-final, Plumstead had a more difficult time against the top ranked Bajan Gavin Cumberbatch the day before, losing his first game of the tournament, 7-9. He soon overcame his early match jitters however and took a firm hold on the match, winning the next three games 9-3, 9-2, 9-2.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old James Stout made impressive strides in the Plate competition after a disappointing first round defeat in the main draw.

Having disposed of Peter Pirthreesingh of Trinidad and Tobago and Luis Hernandez of Venezuela without losing a game, Stout then faced Gabbe Rabesse in the semi-finals. Although Rabesse had beaten Bermuda's Sam Stevens the round before, Stout had no such problems.

Despite occasional lapses in concentration, he was generally too good for an opponent who although lightning quick, could simply not cope with Stout's superior racquet skills and he won the match in three games.He faced Julian Chin of Guyana in the final.