Bermuda Cricket Board?s decision to switch this weekend?s Two -Day League final from the National Sports Centre (NSC) to Wellington Oval hasn?t gone down too well with St.David?s.

According to the Board?s original schedule, St.David?s, winners of Group B, were to meet Group A winners St.George?s for the long-awaited all East End championship derby at the Sports Centre on Saturday and Sunday.

However, yesterday learned trustees at the Sports Centre were never made aware of Saturday?s clash, which according to their records, had been ?initially? scheduled for next month at the same venue.

Deputy chairman of NSC trustees Shawn Tucker, vehemently stated: ?It was never scheduled for the stadium. The Board did make an initial request to have the two-day final played at the National Sports Centre in September.

?They (BCB) had booked the stadium for the 11th and 12th of September but they might have moved the dates forward because of incoming tours (Barbados and West Indies). But from our vantage point there had never been a change (this weekend?s final) because it was never booked in the first instance.?

BCB Treasurer Neil Speight yesterday blamed what he termed as a ?printing error? for the mix-up in venues.

?Originally we had planned for that to be one of the games up at the stadium and I guess when the technical committee re-jigged their plans the two day final got moved to the new date and the National Sports Centre should have also been taken out as a venue,? he explained.

St.David?s, whose ranks have been severely depleted due to the unavailability of several key players including inspirational player/coach Clay Smith, were only notified of the venue change by and not the Board, while a ruling to award St.George?s home field advantage on the basis of having accumulated more points (65), also came as a shock to the Islanders with the match only two days away.

?Nobody called us. . . how can they (Board) schedule the match at their (St.George?s) grounds? It should be played on a neutral field,? argued St.David?s? team official Delby Borden.

?I was told the finals were to be played at the National Sports Centre and I personally feel the game should be played at a neutral field,? he added.

St.David?s? Cricket Club president Wilbur Pitcher said he was never aware of any ruling stating the team having accumulated the most points will receive home field advantage for the final.

?How the hell did that happen?? Pitcher asked. ?We were never informed about this ruling before. This is the first time I?ve heard about this.?

When asked about the ruling over home field advantage, Speight replied ?I will have to check back with the technical committee? before conceding St.David?s officials had yet to be officially notified as to this weekend?s venue change.

He added: ?I spoke to probably around seven clubs as of yesterday but I haven?t spoken to anyone from St.David?s yet.?

Meanwhile, in addition to Smith ? currently overseas in the UK ? the Islanders will be without the services of Loren Marshall, Stefan Kelly, Shannon Raynor and George O?Brien Jr. ? the latter two both representing Bermuda?s Under 23 national squad in Jamaica.

The venue change in addition to the Islander?s player shortage now makes St.George?s firm favourites to capture a first domestic title in the new millennium heading into the weekend?s derby which, traditionally, seems to evoke the best from the two perennial rivals.

St.George?s topped Group A with two wins and a draw, compiling 45 match points and an additional combined 20 batting and bowling points. The 1998 Open League champions have struggled with the bat this season, scoring 704 runs while yielding 530 to their opponents in the field.

But it has been the bowling department which has kept St.George?s on course for silverware as the East Enders have taken the most wickets (40) in Premier Division cricket so far this campaign.

St.David?s? batsmen, on the other hand, have provided the impetus for their team and will undoubtedly again be relied upon to bear fruit this weekend ? even in Smith?s absence.

After three rounds of two-day play, the Islanders topped Group B with two wins and a draw, earning 35 match points and 19 batting and bowling points. St.David?s scored 966 runs, gave up 692 in the field and seized 38 wickets.

Elsewhere at Somerset Cricket Club, last year?s league and Belco Cup champions Southampton take on Willow Cuts in a match which will determine third place honours, while Bailey?s Bay host 2004 Limited Overs and Belco Cup champions Western Stars at Sea Breeze Oval in a contest to decide fifth place in the final two-day standings.

Much drama is also expected to unravel at Devonshire Recreation Club where the home team take on Cleveland in a match which will see the loser relegated to the First Division. Both teams only managed a sole draw from three rounds of two-day play.

At Lord?s, First Division Limited Overs champions Social Club will seek to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet and promotion to the Premier Division ranks for the first time in decades. So far this season the Angle Street club have remained unbeaten in all forms of domestic cricket and only last Sunday advanced through to the Central Counties final, tentatively scheduled for September 12.

Social Club, Group B leaders, take on Group A leaders Flatts for the First Division Two-Day league championship in a contest that could swing either way as the latter seek to avenge an earlier defeat to the hands of Social Club ? the club?s sole defeat of the 2004 season ? and make a speedy return to the top flight after being relegated along with Somerset at the end of the 2003 season.

Warwick host Somerset at Southampton Oval in the match to decide third place while Police and PHC will compete for fifth -place at Police Field.

Somerset Bridge and Legtrappers will do battle at White Hill Field in a match to determine which side receives the dreaded wooden spoon.

All matches begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.