one-day game makes a welcome return this weekend with the first round of play.

Western Stars, champions of both the Open and Overs competitions, begin defence of their title against newly-promoted Devonshire at Devonshire Rec.

The Island's top team haven't enjoyed the best of starts in the Open Championship, winning just one of their first four matches which leaves them in fifth place in the standings.

Last weekend Albert Steede and Treadwell Gibbons shared an opening stand of 263 before St. David's got their only wicket in the 50th over when Steede went for 135. Gibbons, too, scored a century (111 not out) and that should give Devonshire Rec.'s bowlers plenty to think about as Steede returns to meet his former team-mates.

On the small boundaries at the Rec., runs should be plentiful. In that regard Rec. can hold their own, with the likes of Dexter Smith, Donald Norford, Leon Place, Anthony Amory, Lloyd Morrison and Omar Amory in their top order.

Two of tomorrow's match-ups are identical to those in the first round of the Open as Police meet Willow Cuts and St. George's play Southampton Rangers. The two changes to the schedule see Devonshire Rec. and Cleveland replacing St.

David's and PHC.

At home Rangers will be gunning for revenge over a St. George's team that stopped them in the opening match of the season. And though St. George's remain unbeaten and hold down first place in the Open Competition by a point over Willow Cuts, their form has been patchy.

But there were some encouraging individual performances last weekend as captain and vice captain Clay Smith and Dean Minors had good knocks of 63 and 70 while Herbie Bascome's seven for 62 represented the best bowling figures of the busy weekend.

Lately, Rangers have improved and they will rely on the likes of Olin Jones, Keith Wainwright, Janeiro Tucker and Dwayne Steede to pick up victory.

The Police-Willow Cuts contest should be the pick of the weekend with both teams in good form. Their Open match ended in a draw but with a victory certain tomorrow, a winner is difficult to predict on current form.

Cuts captain Dexter Basden had knocks of 61 and 62 last weekend against St.

George's and he will need to lead the way with the bat again while Police will look to their own in-form skipper, Dennis Archer, in the batting department.

The other match sees Cleveland hosting Bailey's Bay at Wellington Oval. Both teams have a two-win, two-draw record in Open play, but being in different divisions should give Bay a decided edge.

First Division Overs action sees Hamilton Parish taking on Flatts, St. David's meeting PHC, Somerset taking on Social Club and IYT playing Warwick. Games start at noon.

Today sees the first round of the Central Counties when Police play Social Club at Police Field while the Youth Team play Hamilton Parish in a First Division Open match and PHC and Flatts clash in a rescheduled first round Knockout match.