A potentially appetising start to the season has been watered down with the news that the fixture between Cup Match rivals St George’s and Somerset has been postponed because no venue could be found.

With Wellington Oval unfit for cricket as yet, and Somerset Cricket Club already occupied, the Bermuda Cricket Board was forced into this decision when no alternative venue could be found — leaving the Cup Match clubs farther behind in match readiness.

As a result, the focus shifts to Sea Breeze Oval where Bailey’s Bay, under Gus Logie, the former West Indies Test batsman and Bermuda coach, are home to a Southampton Rangers team smarting from being pipped at the post to the Twenty20 title last season by St George’s.

A sense of anticipation has been growing around the Eastern Counties giants since Logie’s appointment, and now they get to test themselves over the 50-overs format against the dominant team of the past five seasons.

“Just hopefully we get the basics right, that’s pretty much our focus for the season, to bat better, field better and bowl better,” said club president Stephen Outerbridge, who is looking to be competitive again this season as a player, although he will not be involved this weekend.

“The batting looks like it will take care of itself; I see some definite improvements from the players due to Gus’s work with the guys over the last few weeks.

“Also to think on a different level on how the game sets up and to execute the plans that are given at the beginning of the game. I’m happy with where we are, but we still have a long way to go.

“I’m enjoying the process that Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club is going through and look forward to the start of the season on Sunday.

“I wish the rest of the teams all the best throughout the year. Let’s just have a competitive league, a non-incident league and hopefully at the end of the season the game has improved from last season.”

Bermuda Under-19 open the season today in the First Division against Somerset Bridge at White Hill Field.

Other First Division matches tomorrow will see Flatts taking on Western Stars at St David’s and Warwick playing Cleveland at Southampton Oval. The match between PHC and Devonshire Rec at PHC Field has been called off for unconfirmed reasons.

All matches begin at 11am.

The Twenty20 programme begins in August.

• Rain prevented any play on the opening day of the four-day tour match between Delray Rawlins’s Sussex team and the New Zealanders at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove yesterday. Rawlins has been named in a 13-man squad for the match against the touring side who are in England for a three-Test series.