CRICKET's traditional season-opening Camel Cup has been pushed back to mid-June, with the semi-final and final scheduled for the weekend of June 14-15.

The competition, which has been called the Camel Cup since 1989, is no longer being sponsored by Camel. For the first two years it was called the Premier Cup, but so far does not have a new name. Neither have the two semi-final matches been determined, according to the season schedule released to the media this week by the Bermuda Cricket Board.

The season is still a couple of weeks to go - not slated to get underway until the weekend of May 10 and 11 when the first two rounds of Premier and First Division matches will be played. The Camel Cup involved the top four teams from the previous season and two of the four matches will involve those teams, with defending champions Western Stars opening the defence of their title at home to St. David's in the top match and St. George's and Southampton Rangers meeting in another interesting contest.

There hasn't been much activity in the transfer market during the close season, though Western Stars did manage to pick up Southampton Rangers middle order batsman Ian Armstrong which will strengthen their batting. Their only loss was medium pacer Wilbur Burt to St. George's.

St. David's, again expected to be one of the main title contenders, won't be at full strength at the start of the season. Veteran spinner Del Hollis has left them to rejoin Cleveland County, the club where he played his early cricket before moving to St. David's.

St. George's will be using Lord's for at least the first month of the season while they get Wellington Oval ready in time for Cup Match. The ground has been closed since December and a new wicket has been laid after damage done during a motocross spectacular there. Their long time rivals, St. David's, have kindly come to their aid, allowing them to play their home soccer matches there in the second half of the season and now to use their ground for early matches in the cricket season.

On the face of it, St. George's don't look like being a major force this season, having lost four players...admittedly two of whom did not play last season. Veteran bowler Gary Brangman has decided to give Flatts, the club which has selected him as a guest player in the Eastern Counties for a number of years, at least a season of league cricket before he retires.

Cleveland have improved their ranks in the buildup to the season and they will be aiming to build on last season's achievement of avoiding relegation. The Eastern Counties club have signed three other former players, wicketkeeper Andre Hendrickson from Willow Cuts, opening batsman Curtis Jackson and young batsman Michael Paynter who is back with them after an unsuccessful season with St. George's.

Jackson has spent the last few seasons with Somerset where he has cemented his spot in Cup Match and first up for him will be a match away to his former team.

Last season's two promoted teams, PHC and Willow Cuts, meet at White Hill so one of them will get their season off to a winning start.

The First Division will have a couple of unfamiliar faces this season with former powers Bailey's Bay facing a season in the bottom division after last season's relegation. The Eastern Counties champions have managed to keep their squad intact and will begin the campaign as promotion favourites. Their first points of the season should come against Social Club at Devonshire Rec.

Spinner David Adams of St. George's is Bay's only signing, now that club president Gary Caisey has confirmed that Jason Anderson's intended return to the club has not been approved by his committee.

Last season's Commercial League champions, Leg Trappers, have decided to seek the challenge of playing at a higher level and have had their application to join the First Division accepted. They make their debut against Flatts at Sea Breeze Oval and the following day are at home to their landlords, Police, at Police Field.

The other two matches on the Saturday see Police playing Somerset Bridge and Warwick hosting Devonshire Rec.

The dates have also been confirmed for the three county competitions, with the Central Counties champions Western Stars opening the defence of their title on Saturday, May 24. The Central Counties have not confirmed the opponents for each match. Neither have the Western Counties who begin their competition on July 5.

However, the Eastern Counties - the last of the counties to start - have again been quick to finalise their schedule in this the 100th playing of that competition which started in 1904. Like Cup Match, two years older, they will have two celebrations, the 100th year of competition and the 100th anniversary which is next year.

Bailey's Bay, who dethroned St. David's last year in one of the most exciting matches in recent years, meet Cleveland in the opening round on July 19, with the winners meeting Flatts on August 16 and St. David's in the August 30 final.

Also in the BCB schedule this year is an East v West challenge match on August 17.

Opening weekend

May 10

Premier Division: Somerset v Cleveland (Somerset); Western Stars v St. David's (St. John's); St. George's v Southampton Rangers (St. David's); PHC v Willow Cuts (White Hill).

First Division: Police v Somerset Bridge (Police Field); Warwick v Devonshire Rec. (Southampton Oval); Social Club v Bailey's Bay (Devonshire Rec.); Flatts v Leg Trappers (Sea Breeze Oval).

May 11

Premier Division: Willow Cuts v Western Stars (Somerset); St. David's v St. George's (St. David's); Cleveland v PHC (St. John's); Southampton Rangers v Somerset (Southampton Oval).

First Division: Devonshire Rec. v Flatts (Devonshire Rec); Leg Trappers v Police (Police Field); Bailey's Bay v Warwick (Sea Breeze Oval); Somerset Bridge v Social Club (White Hill).