Tough two-match weekend awaits defending champs Bay
tomorrow as Premier Division cricket enters its second weekend.
At the end of it all a number of teams could have maximum points from two matches, including defending champions Bailey's Bay who make their first appearance of the season today against Willow Cuts at Sea Breeze Oval in one of the three matches that were called off last weekend.
It promises to be a tough first weekend of competition for the champions as they meet Devonshire Rec. tomorrow in another home match, which should be one of the feature games of the day.
Bay will start the new season without suspended players Noel Gibbons, Charlie Marshall and Terry Burgess, but they will have back top bowler Clarkie Trott and Glenn Smith who visited Florida with a BCBC team last weekend.
Roger Trott is back in the fold after several years at Devonshire Rec. and though he isn't likely to play today, the wicketkeeper-batsman should be in the Bay team for tomorrow's match against his former side.
Willow Cuts have much the same squad as last season, compensating for the move of fast bowler Garrick Williams back to Southampton Rangers with the return of veteran bowler Vance Gilbert from Social Club. Gilbert is the new Willow Cuts president.
They have the squad to compete with the top teams in the division and today they face the biggest test of all -- away to the champions who closed out their impressive 1994 season with a victory over Cuts in the knockout final.
Today's other matches see Nationals hosting Social Club at National Sports Club while Warwick are at home at Southampton Oval to Somerset Bridge.
Tomorrow, the interest will switch to St. John's Field where Western Stars host Southampton Rangers and Nationals where the home team face St. George's.
Stars crashed to St. George's in their season-opener last weekend, despite the East Enders being without several key players. Now they know they must bounce back against a Rangers side that had a convincing victory over PHC.
New Stars batsman Ricky Brangman will be going up against his former team-mates, while Hasan Durham should be back in the Stars line-up.
Nationals have improved with the return of the likes of John and Mark Ray, Bruce Perinchief and Jason Lewis as well as the signings of Hamilton Parish pair Dennis Trott and Quinn Outerbridge and Brandon Woolridge from Flatts.
Injuries will keep out John Ray and Lewis but the others are expected to be in the team.
St. George's will have Clay Smith and Dean Minors in their team before they head to England next week for a further season in the Northumberland League, though Dexter Smith and Phillip Burgess will both be missing.
Graham Fox returns to take over the captaincy, satisfied with the manner in which the team, under Ricky Hodsoll, got by Stars last weekend.
Flatts are at home to Cleveland at Devonshire Rec., the latter welcoming back Allan Douglas, Curtis Jackson and Del Hollis, while Police go in search of their second win when they travel to Southampton Oval to meet Warwick.
In other matches St. David's take on Social Club, PHC host Willow Cuts at White Hill Field and Somerset are at home to Somerset Bridge in a West End derby.