yesterday making an 11th hour attempt to resolve their dispute.

But last night the availability of umpires for Sunday's league games was still not known as the boycott threatened to continue into a second week.

The umpires, unhappy with what they see as a lack of support from the governing body who threw out a disciplinary case involving members of Willow Cuts, withdrew their services in protest last Sunday and clubs were forced to find their own officials.

By yesterday no umpire appointments had been made for tomorrow's games, but when contacted Wilbur Pitcher, president of the BCUA, expressed hope there would be some resolution before the weekend.

Pitcher and assistant secretary Randy Butler met with BCBC acting president Randy Horton yesterday in a two-hour meeting designed to clear the air. It was the second scheduled meeting between the two parties since last weekend's stand-off.

When reached Pitcher said he was waiting to hear back from the BCBC.

Stephen Douglas, the only BCUA member to officiate last Sunday, says he did so thinking the issues had been resolved at a meeting with the Board on the previous Thursday.

Douglas is also prepared to stand in the middle again tomorrow.

"It was a positive meeting and didn't merit us not umpiring on Sunday,'' said Douglas, the secretary of the BCUA. He said other umpires felt the same way and were prepared to officiate last weekend.

"When you arbitrate you give and you take. When we met with the Board it was a different light shed and I was prepared to work with what we had from the meeting. When we finished that meeting last Thursday night there was no reason why we shouldn't umpire.

"Why should I stop now when I umpired last weekend? I want to be a part of the solution not a part of the problem.'' The 1999 cricket season is entering a critical period with the final of the Eastern Counties today between St. David's and Bailey's Bay and then the penultimate round of league matches tomorrow when the championship could be determined.

Like last weekend's Western Counties, umpires have been appointed for the Eastern Counties today with George Francis and Lester Harnett doing the duties.

It is understood former umpires Colin Blades and Oliver Bain have been approached by the Board and are prepared to assist if their services are needed on Sunday.