Champions Southampton Rangers open the defence of their limited overs league crown today at Southampton Oval as the 2006 domestic cricket season officially gets underway.

Rangers were by far the most successful team last season but fell two majors shy of duplicating the club?s clean sweep of domestic honours in 1981 under the captaincy of Colin Blades.

Newly-wed skipper Janeiro Tucker guided his team to Belco Cup, limited overs and Combined Knockout titles last summer.

But after dethroning champions Warwick in the opening round of the competition, Rangers relinquished the Western Counties Cup to PHC and were then beaten by Bailey?s Bay in the Premier Division Knockout Final in a bowl-off after the match was abandoned because of rain.

However, Tucker is confident his team, loaded with experience, are capable of making a clean sweep of top honours this campaign.

Rangers take on Bay today at Southampton Oval with left arm spinner Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock and all-rounder Lionel Cann fresh off a ten-day training exercise in Trinidad with the senior national team along with Bay?s Irving Romaine.

And Rangers? skipper Tucker anticipates the East Enders will raise their game in an effort to upstage the champions in their own backyard.

?We just have to go out there and play normal cricket,? he said. ?It?s always important to aim high and so our goal is always to try and win everything we possibly can. And if we fail then at least we try to put our all into everything we do.?

Tucker also encouraged his team?s rivals to strive for great heights.

?This is a very important year for Bermuda cricket and not just about Rangers,? he said. ?It?s about cricket in general and I think every player should strive to do their best because World Cup spots are not concrete, there are a lot of tours going out and I still think the coach (Gus Logie) wants to have a look at certain players.?

Rangers are heavily fancied to come away victorious against a Bay team severely plagued by injuries, among them teenage spinner Rodney Trott, opening batsman Dennis Trott and seamer Jim West, while veteran all-rounder Corey Hill and wicketkeeper Rodney Masters are both unavailable for today?s season opener.

?This is definitely not the way we had hoped to start the season off,? commented Bay stalwart Romaine. ?But we will go out there give it our best shot.?

Early order bat Stephen Outerbridge is currently attending school abroad.

Today will also mark the return of former powerhouses Somerset Cricket Club and Warwick to top flight cricket.

Warwick are away to Del Hollis? St.David?s at Lords while Somerset host Social Club at Somerset Cricket Club.

The match between Western Stars and Flatts, scheduled for St.John?s Field, has been postponed due to the unreadiness of the pitch, according to Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB).

There are only two First Division limited overs matches slated for today, newly-crowned Kenneth Thompson Super Sevens champions PHC hosting Clay Smith?s Cleveland at White Hill Field and Leg Trappers pitted against Somerset Bridge at Sea Breeze Oval.