Unbeaten Western Stars will face their stiffest test of the season when they take on Willow Cuts tomorrow at Lord’s as the Champion of Champions competition returns after more than a decade.

Stars are the Central Counties champions and Willow Cuts the champions of the Western Counties, both looking for a spot in next Saturday’s final, also at Lord’s, against Cleveland, the Eastern Counties champions.

The two teams have had mixed fortunes this season with Cuts now sitting at the bottom of the Premier Division and facing the threat of relegation, while Stars have already clinched promotion and are preparing for their return to the top flight next season.

Just five points separate the bottom three teams in the Premier Division where two will be relegated automatically while the third-from-bottom team will play the runners-up in the First Division in a play-off to determine the other team in the top division next season.

Somerset, level on points with Willow Cuts, face Cleveland in the lone Premier Division match at Somerset Cricket Club tomorrow when victory for Somerset would lift them out of the bottom two.

Defeat will almost certainly mean relegation, especially if Flatts manage to pull off victory at home to Cleveland on Sunday in one of two matches involving Eastern Counties teams.

Cleveland are virtually safe from the drop after their shock victory over Southampton Rangers last weekend lifted them to third place, a point ahead of St David’s, who play the other Eastern Counties side, Bailey’s Bay, at Sea Breeze Oval.

St David’s forfeited their match against Flatts last weekend after the toss had been made and both teams were short.

Two other matches were abandoned for different reasons, Somerset against Bailey’s Bay and Southampton Rangers against Willow Cuts.

Sunday’s only First Division match has St George’s hosting PHC at Wellington Oval.

The final Premier Division matches will be played next Sunday when Willow Cuts play Flatts in another bottom-three encounter, while Cleveland play Bailey’s Bay and St David’s host Somerset.

n Cleveland’s Courtney Trott has been voted the Chivas Sportsmanship Award winner for the work he does with his club every week.

Trott often acts as manager for Cleveland and at home games is always seen to be getting things done — water for the water breaks, ensuring the scorers have everything they need and making sure everything is in place for tea, even going to the store if something is missing.

Trott is also a representative for Cleveland on the Eastern Counties Cricket Association.

He has regularly assisted the youth programmes at his club and often assists by scoring at junior county games if needed.

He would do that in addition to ensuring the drinks for lunch were put on ice and that the water and refreshments were available for the water breaks.

He also assists the caterer to ensure that the food for lunch was put out on time.

For his commitment to the spirit of cricket and chivalry in both junior and senior cricket, Courtney Trott has been selected as the Chivas sportsman of the week.