The eight quarter-finalists for the Knockout Cup will be determined today in a busy weekend of cricket.

But Young Men's Social Club, rather than defending champions Western Stars, have received the bye that will take them into the last eight.

Fifteen teams in the draw meant that one would be exempt from playing in the first round, a courtesy which should have been extended to the 1999 champions as the top seeds.

Stars will begin the defence of their title at Police Field in what will be a preview to next weekend's Central Counties final.

Stars, who recently landed the Camel Cup, are still unbeaten this season and will go into the match as favourites as they bid to stake their claim as a formidable outfit this season.

Somerset, surprise finalists last season when they routed Bailey's Bay in the semi-final before losing to Stars by five wickets, meet their west-end neighbours, Willow Cuts, at Somerset CC.

It will be the second meeting this season, with Somerset winning the first encounter in their bright start to the season. Last weekend's loss to St.

George's was Somerset's first defeat, which brought them back down to earth.

Today's top match should be at Lord's where unbeaten St. David's entertain league champions Southampton Rangers. It will be the first meeting between the teams since Rangers' win over St. David's last September confirmed their first league title in 19 years.

Bailey's Bay, who made hard work of Warwick last weekend, should not make the same mistake twice at Sea Breeze Oval as the visitors return with their confidence boosted after a narrow loss in the league.

Bay took the opportunity to rest some players for what they thought would be an easy match, but had to pull out the stops to clinch victory by 16 runs.

Clarkie Trott, Irving Romaine, Noel Gibbons and Ricky Hill are all expected to return to the Bay line-up.

St. George's should be favoured over Flatts at Wellington Oval, with their batsmen looking to continue with the form shown last weekend at Somerset when they posted 291 for five, their biggest total of the season.

Also expected to reach the last eight are Devonshire Rec., who host PHC, and Cleveland, at Somerset Bridge's expense at White Hill field.

The focus will return to the Premier League tomorrow with the visit of St.

David's to Wellington Oval to meet St. George's being the feature match. St.

George's did their neighbours a favour last weekend by beating Somerset, but no more favours will be expected as the home team now aim to knock St. David's from the ranks of the unbeaten to keep the title race wide open.

Unfortunately for St. David's, their toughest league match so far comes two weeks before the suspensions of Clay Smith and Allen Richardson end. It must be said the pair have hardly been missed so far with Glenn Blakeney playing a lead role in the batting.

The team has plenty of batting depth, with Philip Pitcher and Chris Foggo at the top of the order followed by Blakeney, Landro Minors, OJ Pitcher and Lionel Cann, which should provide a real challenge for the St. George's bowlers.

The chasing pack will all be hoping for a St. George's win, especially unbeaten Western Stars who have a game in hand.

Stars have a tough games themselves, though, at home to another top team, Bailey's Bay in a repeat of the Camel Cup semi-final.

Saleem Mukuddem: Busy weekend with Western Stars