DeSilva went down to top seed Hannah Pritchard of Britain in a thrilling three-set final. DeSilva, who lost to Pritchard 6-4, 6-2 in the round robin earlier, took her opponent to three sets in the final, eventually going down 4-6, 7-6 (6-3), 6-4.

Downey, whose loss to Pritchard kept her out of the final against DeSilva, had to settle for fourth when she was beaten by third seed Anna Lee Bryant of Barbados 6-3, 6-3.

DeSilva and Downey, however, won the girls doubles while DeSilva also received an award at Saturday's prize presentation for reaching the singles final.

At that presentation, coach Terry Smith handed over a Bermuda plaque to the Barbados Lawn Tennis Association on behalf of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association and the Department of Tourism.

"I felt it was a very competitive and well played tournament by all the Bermuda participants,'' said Smith. John Wardman and Jevon Whitter were the other members of the Bermuda team.

CRICKET CRI The recent Eastern Counties draw has been favourable to dethroned champions Bailey's Bay who have been pitted against St. David's in the opening round on July 18.

Bay lost the cup to St. David's in last year's final after holding it since the final of the 1993 series. Now they have the opportunity to win it back quickly as they will be favoured over the Islanders in the first round.

An incentive for Bay to regain the trophy will be the knowledge that their Sea Breeze Oval ground will be the venue for all three matches in this year's series. A ruling adopted by the competition's governing body last year called for the matches to alternate between Lord's and Sea Breeze Oval regardless of who held the trophy.

The winners of the first round will meet Cleveland in the second round on August 15 with Flatts providing the opposition in the August 29 final.

St. David's are also the champions in the Junior Eastern Counties and they open the defence of that title against Flatts on July 11 at Lord's.

The winners will meet Bailey's Bay in the second round on August 8. The final, against Cleveland, will take place on August 22.

SOCCER SOC Former Bermuda national coach Gary Darrell and former Somerset Trojans and Devonshire Cougars coach Josef Gooden have dismissed reports that they have been approached to take over at Somerset next season.

Darrell, Gooden and former St. David's coach Andrew Bascome were rumoured to be in the frame to replace Randy Horton whose Trojans were relegated from the First Division this season.

"I haven't had any talks about coaching Somerset, none whatever,'' said Darrell.

Added Gooden: "I don't know where those rumours came from. I haven't given coaching any consideration for next season, nor have I had any talks with any club.'' And Somerset's president Colin Smith confirmed that there was no truth in the rumours. "I would like to make it clear that we have made no official approach to anybody about coaching. At the present moment Randy Horton is still the coach and until such time we sit down and have discussions with him about the coaching situation, we cannot make any decision about next season,'' said the president.

Western Stars Sports Club will host their first soccer games under lights tonight when a double-header is staged at St. John's field starting at 7.00 p.m.

The two corporate sponsors of the lights, Bank of Bermuda and Belco, will play in the opening match while the feature game will be between Dandy Town Old Boys and Boulevard Old Boys in their third annual fixture. Boulevard won the first two matches.