that they will once again be revealed as the `Silver Stars' of Bermuda cricket.

The reigning Premier Division champions were knocked from their perch as the dominant side in the local game last Sunday when St. David's managed a three wicket win in the final of the Camel Cup. Yet both captain Albert Steede and veteran Cleon Scotland were quick to diffuse any talk of a sudden demise.

Steede, in his second year in charge of the St. John's Road club, noted that a loss was inevitable, with his men having not suffered defeat since the middle of the 1999 campaign.

"We had to lose sometime, and like I said at the beginning of the year, it's going to be difficult to go undefeated,'' said Steede. "Everyone is going to raise their level when they play us, which is to be expected.

"Unfortunately we would have liked to have won (Sunday's match) because there was a cup at stake, but that's how it goes, it's something for us to look forward to next year.'' Similarly Scotland told of how being able to mow through all manner of competition would be a steep climb, yet pointed to the four trophies that remain on display as testament to them being still the team to beat.

"At the end of the day we played badly, but were still competitive in taking it to the last over,'' said Scotland, a fine fielder, useful middle order batsman and slow bowler. "St. David's are a good team, they got the breaks and took full advantage.

"We've still four trophies over there. We have the Central Counties coming up, that we've dominated for the last few years, so hopefully by next month we'll have another trophy to set things right.'' Both players looked forward to more intriguing contests against the Islanders, who under player/coach/captain Clay Smith appear to have finally arrived as a side to be reckoned with.

Now reigning as both the Camel Cup and Eastern Counties champs, Smith's men possess a new found confidence.

"Suddenly we have a team that really gets our juices flowing,'' added Scotland. "We're looking forward to facing them in the league and in the Knock-Out, if we're lucky, then if we both manage to retain our counties, in the Champion of Champions, so there's potential for three more games.

"We want to play the best and beat the best, because over the last year or so it's been a bit of a stroll.

Stars look to bounce back From Page 15 "In hindsight, what happened is good for cricket in Bermuda that we lost. You could hear the anti-Stars sentiment out there ... everybody loves an underdog and St. David's have been a team that's been knocking on the door and finally broke through.'' Also looking towards the future was St. David's allrounder Lionel Cann, but he cautioned against any awarding of his side the favourites tag.

"We've won two matches that's all ... almost any team can do that and it does not make it a season,'' said Cann. "What we want to and must do is to maintain consistency and commitment to the tasks ahead and then we just might be able to call ourselves the best at the end of it all.'' Further battles will have to wait though, with Stars set to face off against Willow Cuts and PHC this weekend as league matches take precedence, while St.

David's have Southampton Rangers and Cleveland to counter.

The St. David's versus Rangers clash at Lord's today shapes up as the most intriguing of the weekend, while the rest of the Saturday line-up appears pretty ordinary, with Warwick entertaining Somerset Bridge, Stars hosting Willow Cuts, Devonshire welcoming PHC, Flatts travelling to face Bailey's Bay, Social Club away to Somerset and Police at home to Cleveland.

Sunday will see Rangers entertaining a new and improved Somerset outfit at The Oval in the day's top match. Other affairs have Cleveland facing St. David's, Social Club entertaining Bailey's Bay, Flatts squaring off against Devonshire, PHC traveling to Western Stars, Willow Cuts hosting Warwick and St. George's making the long trek to meet Somerset Bridge.