Premier Division 50 Overs champions St David’s will be keen to bounce back at the earliest opportunity after making an inauspicious start to their title defence.

Ricky Brangman’s team suffered a 51-run defeat against East End rivals St George’s in their season opener at Wellington Oval last weekend.

It was hardly the outcome the champions had hoped for and they are now facing yet another daunting task coming up against unbeaten Eastern Counties rivals and champions Bailey’s Bay at Sea Breeze Oval tomorrow.

Brangman is bracing himself for another tough outing but is confident his players can be equal to the task.

“Ricardo Brangman and Cejay Outerbridge should be back, so we should be at full strength and I am confident that we can bounce back from our loss against St George’s,” he said.

“It’s going to be a tough game. Bay has played two games and had two wins and I know they feel good coming into the game, so we have to pick ourselves up and go at them to get our win.

“This game is very important for us. The guys have been training hard and talking, so it looks really good right now.”

Despite losing to St George’s, Brangman says there were positives to take away from the match.

“It was disappointing but we had some good pointers in the game, so the future looks good,” he added.

“I thought they should have been dismissed for about 190, that should have been the most, but two batsmen came in, got stuck in and gave chances that we didn’t take.

“We have to be patient when we are fielding and take it one ball at a time.

“We dropped a couple of chances and it kind of cost us.”

An exciting 98-run seventh-wicket partnership between Derrick Brangman (57) and Mikkail Crockwell (60) as well as batting performances of some of the younger players proved to be among the bright spots for the visiting side.

“Those two [Brangman and Crockwell] batted well but we were missing Ricardo down the order because he comes in afterwards and keeps it going,” Brangman said.

“We needed one more guy but that’s how cricket goes and it’s a learning thing for my players, especially the youngsters.

“We are bringing them through, they are trying to do the best they can, and I take my hat off to them because they did well.

“I am not expecting for them to hit the ball all over the place and stuff and the future looks good and looks promising.”

Meanwhile, Bay are also inspired going into the clash knowing victory would see them leapfrog leaders St George’s, who have a bye.

“It’s a very exciting weekend coming up. Mother’s Day as well and we are looking to give our mothers a good gift of a win,” Gus Logie, the Bay coach, said.

“We are playing against the champions, obviously, and we can’t take anything for granted.

“We have been dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s over the last week, and we will have a surprise or two come on Sunday I can’t divulge as yet.

“The players are beginning to get a bit more competent in their own skills and certainly a lot more confidence.

“We are hoping on the day that they can more than likely produce the kind of performances that will make them, their supporters, their family and certainly the community proud after all the hard work they have been putting in.

“So we look forward to it and know the opposition is no easy walkover but I have the feeling that maybe the tides could be turning.”

Elsewhere, Southampton Rangers host Western Stars at Southampton Oval, while Cleveland and Warwick go head-to-head at Somerset Cricket Club in tomorrow’s remaining top-flight matches.

Today will see the official start of the First Division 50 Overs campaign with Willow Cuts taking on the Bermuda Under-19 team at Somerset Cricket Club.

The remaining second-tier fixture will see Devonshire host Somerset at Devonshire Recreation Club tomorrow.