Western Stars, the Central Counties Cup champions, will not be taking anything for granted when they take on Devonshire Rec today at St John’s Field in the opening match of the best-of-three series that is being used in the competition for the first time.

Just a week ago, Stars romped to a 151-run win over their rivals, after Seth Campbell’s haul of eight for ten was largely responsible for skittling Devonshire for only 32 runs, the lowest total of the season.

“We can’t take Devonshire lightly,” Nyon Steede, the Stars captain, said. “Last year we beat them in the Central Counties and we played them the next day in the league and they beat us, so they are very capable of rising to the occasion.”

Steede had particular praise for the progress that Campbell has made as a seam bowler. “In the two games we have played, he has bowled exceptionally well,” Steede said. “He had an outstanding game last weekend. He got the ball to seam nicely, with some swing, and bowled a really tight line. Depending on availability, hopefully we will have the same team for Saturday.”

The new format for the competition means that a team can lose the first match and still come back to win the series, with further matches to come at Devonshire Recreation Club on July 12 and back at St John’s Field on August 23. The third match will be a Twenty20 affair if the series has already been decided.

“People have off days and we can’t say, ‘We beat them last week’,” Steede said. “All it takes is a few players to have a brilliant spell with the bat or ball and it can be a completely different game. You never know what is going to happen from game to game; you have to prepare for it as a new game.”

Steede still has concerns about the Western Stars batting as they attempt to make a strong push for promotion. Last weekend’s total of 183 in a match reduced to 39 overs a side was enough against a Devonshire team who were clearly not up to the chase, but Steede believes that improvement among the top order is a necessity.

“Our fielding and our bowling is coming along really well, we just need batsmen to stay to the crease a little longer,” he said. “Every week, it is one or two people contributing the majority of the runs. We need our top five to bat long and to get a good contribution from them.”

Last Sunday, Seion Darrell, better known for his football prowess with the club’s football outfit, Dandy Town Hornets, was the top batsman with 59 not out in the middle order, while the captain contributed 35.

Kenny Phillip, the veteran former St George’s Cup Match and Bermuda fast bowler, claimed three wickets for Devonshire and then was their only batsman in double figures, with 13.

“Looking at our bowling attack and some of the scores that they have posted, we knew that was a good score to defend,” Steede said. “At 50 overs, we felt anything over 200 would be a defendable score, so once it was reduced to 39 overs, we knew 183 would be something we could defend.

“Nobody could envision they would be knocked down as cheaply as they were. I would assume they would go back and analyse the game, see what went wrong for them and make the adjustments. I would think they will come with a different plan on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, league matches resume tomorrow with Willow Cuts and Southampton Rangers seeking their third straight victories. Cuts host Cleveland at Somerset Cricket Club, while Southampton Rangers take on Somerset at Southampton Oval and St George’s and Bailey’s Bay meet at Wellington Oval.

Cuts will get a further boost to their batting next weekend when Dean Stephens, a late transfer, is eligible to complete his move from Somerset Bridge.

Only two players had applied for late transfers as of yesterday, the other being Jeremy Fray, who is moving from Flatts to Devonshire Rec. However, no application has been received for Kevin Hurdle to move from Flatts to St David’s, although he could still play in the season’s first clash of title contenders, against Cuts next weekend, should the league champions get the necessary paperwork in order.

The Premier Division has not produced more competitive contests as expected after the formation of two divisions, with St David’s, Cuts and Rangers already looking a class above. Bay, Somerset and Cleveland failed to score 100 runs as they slumped to defeat in rain-affected matches last weekend, while an understrength St George’s were rolled for 49 in their last outing — a record 329-run defeat by Rangers a fortnight ago.

In tomorrow’s two First Division matches, PHC meet Western Stars at PHC Stadium and Devonshire Rec host Warwick.

n Steven Bremar, the Devonshire Rec captain, was the winner of the Chivas Cricket Sportsman of the Week Award after withdrawing an appeal for obstructing the field in the match against Western Stars.