With their hopes for another league championship fast fading, defending league champions Western Stars will go head to head with current leaders Southampton Rangers in a crunch match at St.John's Field tomorrow.

Stars won't need reminding of the crushing defeat Rangers inflicted upon them earlier this season - a dismal performance skipper Albert Steede attributes to some poor batting.

"We had an absolutely poor time with the bat last time against them. We didn't perform that well with our batting at all," Steede conceded, earlier this week.

Rangers dismissed Stars for a meagre 99 runs on a lightning fast strip at Southampton Oval and then polished off the required runs with eight-wickets in hand.

Steede is fully aware of what is at stake in tomorrow's crucial match.

"We need to win this match by maximum points and try to restrict Rangers to as least points as possible to try to bridge the gap a bit," he noted.

And the skipper reckons his team is 'peaking' at the right moment.

"I think it's going to be a big difference from that first match. That was over a month ago and things have changed since then. The dynamics of the team have changed and our confidence has grown tremendously, and I think we are now more eager to win and we are peaking at the right moment."

Steede described cricket as an unpredictable sport.

"With cricket and 50 overs, anything can happen. We just have to focus on what we have to do and just try to win and get as many points as we possibly can," he noted. "Hopefully we can catch up, but you just never no - stranger things have happened."

Stars should again be at full strength with Cup Match prospect Saleem Mukuddem having recently returned from a lengthy lay-off and Steede himself hitting top form with the bat.

Rangers, on the other hand, are facing not one, but two crucial matches over the weekend. Southampton will attempt to add the Western Counties trophy to their Belco Cup crown today when they take on champions Willow Cuts at White Hill Field in a second round clash.

"We have put the work in and the guys are mentally prepared," noted Southampton player/coach Clevie Wade.

"We will just have to wait and see what happens on the day. We just want to go out there and play cricket the way we have been playing all season and come out victorious. The guys have been playing some good cricket but anything can happen on the day. But hopefully the guys can come up with the goods."

Elsewhere today, Junior Eastern Counties action takes precedence at Lords where Bailey's Bay and St.David's feature in a first round clash.

Meanwhile, looking ahead to other matches in the Premier Division tomorrow, a resurgent Cuts will be looking to avenge an earlier season loss at Somerset's expense when the two west end clubs feature in a derby match at Somerset Cricket Club. Cuts will also be looking to maintain their ascent up the standings as they desperately seek to avoid relegation.

Elsewhere, St.George's will attempt to get things back on track following two successive defeats last weekend when they take on Cleveland at Lords, while PHC and high-flying St.David's meet at White Hill Field.

In First Division play, leaders Bailey's Bay take on Police at Police Field, second placed Devonshire meet Social Club at Devonshire Rec, while third placed Flatts take on Somerset Bridge at Sea Breeze Oval.

Warwick and IFP LegTrappers, meanwhile, will do battle at Southampton Oval.