The final destination of the Central Counties trophy will be decided today when champions Devonshire lock horns with challengers Social Club at Police Field for the right to keep the coveted showpiece for the next 12 months.

In 1969, Social Club and Devonshire met in the very first Central Counties match at the former National Sports Club grounds in Devonshire, and more recently two years ago at the Den where Devonshire recorded a resounding 80-run victory to dash their opponent?s hopes of a rare domestic treble.

Now the two urban clubs are poised to do battle again with current champions Devonshire entering the match as underdogs against Premier Division league title contenders Social Club ? a label Devonshire skipper Dean Stephens doesn?t mind wearing at all.

?The underdog always fights the hardest and so I think being the underdog will actually work in our favour,? he said.

The champions are expected to make only minor changes to the squad that hammered Police last month, those more likely to come in to bolster the team are all rounder Dennis Williams, seamer Ryan Swan and coach Ricky Brangman sr.

?Everybody is raring to go and confident we can pull it off,? added Stephens, one of several allrounders bidding for a spot in Somerset?s Cup Match XI this summer.

The inaugural Central Counties match ? which saw Devonshire batsman Lionel Thomas score the first-ever century (108 not out) in the 37-year-old competition ? ended in a draw. But Social Club were awarded the cup on account of having been the first team drawn out of the hat that year.

Social Club then succeeded in defending their crown against Nationals, Western Stars, Bermuda Athletic Association (BAA), Police Recreation Club and a Pembroke Hamilton Club (PHC) team led by former St.George?s Cup Match players Calvin (Bummy) Symonds and Rupert Scotland.

Since then Nationals have disbanded, BAA are no longer represented in cricket, PHC have joined ranks with the Western Counties Cricket Association while Social Club?s cricket has been on a steady incline in recent years.

So far this summer, the coveted showpiece has changed hands twice, Police upsetting Stars by 106 runs in the opening round before surrendering the trophy to Devonshire in the second round courtesy of a nine-wicket thrashing at Police Field on June 24.

Elsewhere today, St.George?s Cricket Club will be holding a Cup Match trial match at Wellington Oval against tenants Cleveland County.

Meanwhile a two-horse race for the Premier Division championship heats up tomorrow with joint-leaders Southampton Rangers and Social Club facing tricky fixtures against unpredictable St.David?s and Western Stars.

Rangers are at home to St.David?s at Southampton Oval, while Social Club travel to St.John?s Road to face mid-table Stars.

In remaining matches, Flatts host Somerset CC at Lords and Bailey?s Bay take on Warwick at Sea Breeze Oval.

Likewise, the race for the First Division championship is also expected to intensify at Wellington Oval where front runners St.George?s and Cleveland County attempt to put a little distance between themselves.

Following last weekend?s 20-run loss to Cleveland, Devonshire will try to get their own league title and promotion hopes back on track against PHC at the Den, while the remaining First Division match sees Somerset Bridge and Police battling it out at White Hill Field.