ST. David's may be one of the top teams in the Premier Division but every week you can count on them to be generous in the bowling department.

Who says so? Allen Richardson, the former St. David's batsmen, who has been compiling some interesting figures on St. David's and the other Premier Division teams this season.

Since the start of the season Richardson has been using the scoreboards appearing in the Monday Royal Gazette to determine how each team Premier Division team is dismissed each weekend as well as the extras bowled each game by each team.

St. David's lead the way in the number of extras bowled so far this season - 323 in nine games, followed by another top team, Western Stars, on 304. Both could learn something from Cleveland and PHC who have conceded 174 and 176 extras respectively from eight matches. St. George's are third best with 194.

"These figures were compiled from the stats of the Monday paper," explained Richardson. "If the stats did not appear in the paper I did not include them."

St. David's have bowled 199 wides, which is second to Western Stars' 209 which comes from 13 games as they have also played three Central Counties matches.

St. George's, with 113 wides, have the best 'line' bowlers in the division. They concede, on average, 11.3 wides a game while the St. David's bowlers are twice as generous, conceding an average of 22.1 wides per game. Somerset average 21.4 wides a games, Willow Cuts 20.75 and PHC and Cleveland 17.75 and 17.1 respectively.

Tabulating all the teams, an average of 17.4 wides are bowled by each team every game.

"The reason I started it was I couldn't believe the number of wide balls bowled by St. David's each week last year," said Richardson, now playing occasionally with the St. David's Commercial team.

"So I said this year I was going to keep a check on the wides, initially just St. David's," said Richardson who, before he knew it, was compiling stats of each team in the top division.

"I couldn't believe the number of extras these teams give away," said Richardson whose figures confirm the disappointing quality of bowling in the modern game.

His research shows, however, that St. David's are still the most difficult team to 'bowl' out with only nine batsmen bowled in nine matches, following Cleveland on 12 and Southampton Rangers on 14. St. George's lead the high end of that category with 26 bowled dismissals in 10 games, followed by 24 for Western Stars, Willow Cuts and Somerset.

St. George's have also had more run outs in their innings than any other team (9), followed by Cleveland on six. St. David's and Willow Cuts have had only two run outs all season.

Cleveland have had just five lbw decisions go against their batsmen while four teams - St. David's, Stars, Southampton and Somerset - have all had ten lbw decisions against them all season.

St. George's and Western Stars lead the category for most caught dismissals, with the east enders having 58 batsmen dismissed through catches while 53 Stars batsmen have been caught. Southampton Rangers have the lowest number, 28, while PHC have 29.

According to Richardson's stats no Rangers batsmen has been stumped out this season.

Teams may or may not pay much attention to such stats but it makes for interesting reading.

League action continues this weekend with league leaders Southampton Rangers facing defending champions Western Stars in the top match as rival captains and Cup Match team-mates Janeiro Tucker and Albert Steede square off at St. John's Field.

Rangers won the first meeting at Southampton Oval and another victory would not only take them another step closer to the Premier Division title but also eliminate Stars from the race.

St. David's, who meet Rangers in what could be the title clincher on July 27, should keep their title aspiration alive with victory over PHC at White Hill Field.

St. George's, for all intents and purposes out of contention following two losses last weekend, will be looking to regroup against a Cleveland side that handed them a defeat in their first meeting. Because Wellington Oval is still not ready that match will be at Lord's.

In the day's other match Somerset host Willow Cuts in a west end derby and Cuts, after a slow start to the campaign, will go into the match as slight favourites. The new Western Counties champions will also see action on Saturday when they meet Southampton Rangers in the second round of the counties at White Hill field.

First Division action on Sunday will see top three Devonshire Rec., Bailey's Bay and Flatts all looking to continue their push for promotion. Rec. are away to Social Club while Flatts entertain Bridge at Sea Breeze Oval. Former powers Police and Bailey's Bay will meet at Police Field while Warwick host Leg Trappers at Southampton Oval in the other match.