The race for the Premier Division Limited Overs championship has now been narrowed down to a two-horse sprint involving current leaders Southampton Rangers and third placed Bailey?s Bay.

And the championship could be decided in just over three weeks when the two rivals lock horns at Southampton Oval.

A Rangers win over Bay would be enough to earn the perennial giants a third league title in six seasons. But anything less would blow the championship race wide open.

In order to achieve their winning objective, Rangers need only to win against Bay on July 17 while their East End rivals must win their remaining limited overs fixtures against Southampton and defending champions Western Stars.

And depending on how far Bermuda?s national squad advance in the ICC Trophy World Cup qualifying tournament in Ireland, both teams could be at full-strength.

Rangers, who take on Social Club in their final limited overs match on July 24 at the Oval, catapulted themselves into the driver?s seat with convincing victories over Stars and St.David?s earlier in the season, leaving Bay as the sole team capable of winning the championship via the head-to-head tie-breaking system.

In contrast, Bay have taken the longer route having lost valuable ground in the championship race with losses to St.George?s and Premier Division newcomers Social Club. Bay also lost the services of coach Ricky Hill early in the season while stalwarts Glenn Blakeney and Dennis Trott have been in and out of the team due to work commitments.

However, last Sunday?s crushing 139-run triumph over St.David?s at Sea Breeze Oval has given Bay?s championship hopes a much needed shot in the arm.

?We desperately needed that win after dropping valuable points against some of the weaker teams in the league. But in all honesty I thought we would have been in a better position than this based on the schedule,? stated veteran Bay all-rounder Corey Hill.

?We had an opportunity to get a big jump but we failed to take advantage of this. Those losses to St.George?s and Social Club set us back,? he added.

St.George?s defeated Bay by 43 runs at Sea Breeze Oval on the opening day of the season before Social Club rubbed salt into the wound seven days later courtesy of a six-wicket humbling at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Then Bay suffered the added setback of losing their coach only two matches into the new season.

?It came to a point where he (Ricky Hill ) needed to take a little break from the game because coaching can become very stressful,? explained Hill, the coach?s younger brother.

?Who knows . . . maybe one day he might reconsider coaching and something can be worked out. But I?m sure he?s enjoying the time off because he has been committed to both football and cricket in Bermuda for many years.?

But in spite of these setbacks, Bay still find themselves in with a realistic shot at the title.

?I think we still have room for improvement and we?re not too concerned about Rangers,? added Hill. ?They might have an easier road . . . but anything can happen. And I for one have never believed in any team having an advantage of playing at home.?