At the half-way stage of the cricket season, Western Stars and PHC are on track to win the Premier and First Division titles.

And on current form, it's going to take a very good side to deny either the end-of-season spoils.

Last season Stars finished up as bridesmaids as St. David's swept all before them.

But so far in this campaign, it's the St. John's Road club who are proving themselves as the dominant force in local cricket.

Having successfully defended their Central Counties crown on Saturday against Police, Stars then secured a confidence-boosting four-wicket win at Lord's over the the defending champions the following day.

That meant that they remained undefeated in the first half of the programme.

But the elevator doesn't stop here for captain Albert Steede and his men as they can still add the Combined Knockout Cup to their Central Counties title should they successfully negotiate the challenge of Southampton Rangers during this Saturday's final at Somerset Cricket Club.

Stars are also due to meet St. David's in next month's Camel Cup final and have booked the first spot in September's Champion of Champions competition.

"We have now won our first trophy which is good (Central Counties) so things are going according to plan," said a jubilant Steede moments after Saturday's eight-wicket thrashing of Police.

"But we are looking ahead to Saturday's game against Rangers (Combined Knockout Cup Final)."

Steede noted how he anticipated another exciting game against Southampton but was concerned about the weather which has wreaked havoc during all three previous matches between the league's top two teams this season.

Stars' sole victory over their western counterparts came via the Duckworth/Lewis scoring system in the Camel Cup after the heavens opened.

The second meeting wasn't much better as yet again Mother Nature called a premature end to the proceedings at Southampton Oval.

"This year every time we have played against them (Southampton) the game has been interrupted by the weather," Steede added.

"So if it's a good day weather wise, we should see some very entertaining cricket. But our objective remains the same - that of winning more trophies."

Stars have been without the services of Cleon Scotland and young Treadwell Gibbons Jr., both of whom suffered injuries earlier in the season.

However, they are expected to be back into the swing of things at some stage in the second half of the season.

Second-placed Southampton, meanwhile, remain in hot pursuit of Stars at the top of the league.

In the First Division, PHC appear to be running away with all the spoils.

Prior to the season, player/coach Andre (Doc) Manders asked for more commitment from his players and apparently they have heeded that call as they sit atop the division.

The club have tasted defeat only once this season, against neighbours Warwick, who are also in the thick of the promotion chase in second place.

"We are at the top, but we have still not peaked," warned PHC skipper Cal Waldron.

"We still have what I call a lot of mental work to do, but unity is definitely there."

With PHC set to feature in the third round of the Western Counties Cup competition, Waldron added that for now his team were solely concentrating on gaining promotion to the Premier Division.

"We haven't been really talking about it," he added. "We are just trying to make the necessary adjustments, but so far it's been an all-round team effort and there's always room for improvement."