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Race is on for quarter-finals

Breeze Oval and Police Field will be the best match-ups, five other matches will have more importance in tomorrow's final round of limited overs league competition.

Devonshire, Bailey's Bay, Police and Western Stars are the top teams in their groups and have already qualified for the quarter-finals, scheduled for September 5. Even if unbeaten Devonshire lose to Bailey's Bay they could still top the Gold Division on strike rate.

Police are also unbeaten in the Green Division, having won all five of their matches, and their strike rate is also twice that of second-placed Western Stars who have played one match more.

It is not known if the outstanding matches -- Somerset v Flatts and St.

David's v Police -- will be rescheduled. Even so, Somerset can still clinch the third spot in the Gold Division by beating Willow Cuts tomorrow at Royal Naval Field.

Willow Cuts, who have a tough Western Counties second round match with Southampton Rangers today to think about first, also have a slim chance of reaching the quarter finals though they can only pip Hamilton Parish on strike rate.

Parish meet Flatts at Shelly Bay Field in a match neither can afford to lose.

A win would assure Parish of a top four finish while Flatts would move level with Parish with a victory.

In the other Gold Division match the last two teams, Nationals and Social Club meet at Nationals Sports Club. Nationals are without captain Darrin Lewis who has returned to school abroad.

Three teams will also be battling for two quarter-final spots in the Green Division. Police and Stars have already booked their spots with Cleveland, St.

David's and Southampton looking to join them.

Cleveland are in the best position, having a two point lead over St. David's and Rangers. Their opponents tomorrow will be St. George's at Wellington Oval while St. David's, who have played one game less, are at home to Somerset Bridge. Southampton meet last-placed Warwick at Southampton Oval. All matches are 50 overs starting at noon.

League champions Devonshire Rec will depart for England next Saturday for a 13-day, five-match tour -- but will be without top bowler Anthony (Pacer) Edwards, whose wife is expecting their first child soon.

All Devonshire's matches will be in the Birmingham area. They play Cheltenham Cricket Club next Tuesday in a 50 overs match. The next day they meet Stoubridge Cricket Club in a 55 overs match before using the rest day to watch the clash between Warwickshire and Lancashire at Edgbaston next Thursday.

Other matches: Old Hill (August 21), Cheshire and Lancashire (Sunday, August 23) and Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club on Tuesday, August 25.

Tour party: Anthony Amory, Albert Steede, Erskine Smith, Terry Fray, James Pace, Lloyd Smith, Donald Norford, Roger Trott, Mark Trott, Winston Trott Jr, Dennis Williams, Leon Place, Lloyd Morrison, Dennis Ottley, Donald Laws, Toriano Henry. Alfred Augustus (tour manager), Gladstone Brown (team manager), Winston Trott Sr (coach), Michael Glasford (scorer), Richard Robinson (physio), Lloyd Minors (gear manager).

The Commercial Cricket League title will be decided tomorrow after the executive committee voted to declare an outstanding match a draw. The decision to call the unplayed June 21 match between North Village and Safeguard Security a draw -- rather than allow the clubs extra time to reschedule the game -- means Village and Forties go into the final league weekend tied on 95 points.

West Indian Association, the third team in the title race, moved to within five points of the leaders, when the committee awarded them 10 points after deciding St Michael forfeited on July 26.

The committee threw out an appeal by Forties claiming the full 10 points in a draw with PHC.