Outspoken cricketer Clay Smith has been silenced - or at least his bat has for the next three matches.

Smith received a three-game ban from Bermuda Cricket Board after being found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute - namely speaking to the Press over matters which affected his club.

The gifted St.David's player/coach publicly slammed the BCB for their handling of the Mackie Crane affair and St.George's spinner Travis Smith's controversial 11th over which proved decisive during his club's one-run loss to St.George's earlier this season.

Crane received a one-match ban for leaving a national youth team practice match without the coach's consent, and that prompted the Islanders to sit out their league season-opener against Western Stars in protest.

Smith initially received the ban two weeks ago, but his club immediately lodged an appeal which allowed the coach to play in the last three matches for his club.

Three other players, Arnold Manders, Jermaine Postlethwaite and Dexter Basden, were also summoned before the Board earlier this month for talking to the Press. However, they all escaped with a slap on the wrist.

Last year Somerset player Wendell White was also banned for four matches after he was interviewed by this newspaper.

Smith will now sit out the Islanders' crucial league matches against Stars tomorrow, St.George's and Somerset, as well as today's Cup Match trial at Lords.

With the Belco Cup safely tucked in the bag, high flying Southampton Rangers can now resume their quest for a second league championship in four years when they host second-placed St.George's at Southampton Oval tomorrow.

Hard work, determination and consistency have proven to be three key elements for Southampton's success so far. And a win over the east enders tomorrow would consolidate their position atop the standings and further distance themselves from the chasing pack.

Currently, Southampton (95) hold a 14-point lead over St.George's (81), while a resurgent St.David's remain in third with 74 points.

The availability of skipper Janeiro Tucker remains questionable as the all-rounder hasn't trained all week and was due to meet with a therapists yesterday for further analysis following the injury he suffered last weekend which left him on crutches.

Aside from Tucker, Southampton's squad should remain untouched with veteran Keith Wainwright more than capable of leading the team in the skipper's absence.

St.George's, meanwhile, will look to regroup and keep pace with the leaders as the season enters its second phase.

The last time the east enders met Southampton on their home turf, St.George's came away with a lopsided 104 run win as the home team's big bats all failed.

Elsewhere tomorrow, St.David's can hammer the final nail into Western Stars' league coffin.

Stars have struggled in the absence of several key players and another loss tomorrow would effectively ensure that the league title will have a new abode come season's end.

In other matches, cellar dwellers PHC and Willow Cuts will slug it out at Somerset Cricket Club, while fourth placed Cleveland will look to keep their own title hopes alive when they host Somerset at St.John's Field.

In First Division action, runaway leaders Devonshire should continue their march towards promotion as they are heavily favoured over lowly Warwick at Devonshire Rec. Devonshire have only tasted defeat once this season, a 37-run loss to Bailey's Bay last month.

Second-placed Bay take on Social Club at Sea Breeze Oval, IFP Legtrappers host third-placed Flatts at Police Field and Somerset Bridge meet Police at White Hill Field.