Janeiro Tucker, player-coach of reigning champions Southampton Rangers, has long conceded the title for this season but he admits being unsure about who out of leaders Social Club or St. David's will replace his team number one.

However, he believes that Charlie Marshall's boys (Social Club) could have dented their hopes by suffering a surprise setback against Somerset CC at Devonshire Rec. last Sunday - a defeat which enabled St. David's to move within two points of first and make an even stronger challenge for the title.

This weekend interest in the race intensifies with a full slate of matches scheduled for both today and tomorrow with a clearer position of who the eventual winner will be could be determined at the conclusion of these fixtures. Just one round will remain after these two rounds.

Tucker though does not have any prediction or concern who comes through to replace his team as top dogs, pointing out that his only interest is seeing his team deal with winning their matches and finishing as high as possible - their goal being a place in the top four.

"Yes, we guys (Southampton Rangers) are out of it, we are just going for a finish in the top four.

"But at the end of the day we could have a say about who wins the league because we play Social Club in the last round," he said.

"It really doesn't bother me to not be involved because we have won it a few times in the past five years and it's good to see others have a turn. I don't care who wins, I have no favourite at all. But I believe that Social Club lost a vital game against Somerset CC last Sunday and that could be their season right there, now as a result of that loss the race is really wide open with St. David's right on their backs."

Social Club are understood to have received a blasting from player-coach Marshall about that disappointing performance against Somerset and it remains to be seen if they are able to recover and regain their form for their games against St. George's at Devonshire Rec. today and tomorrow's easier away match-up against Flatts at Lord's.

Fifth-place St. George's are expected to offer them a stiffer challenge than sixth-place Flatts who are coming off a loss against last place Western Stars.

Second place St. David's face two opponents who could offer bigger challenges in the form of today's opponents Cleveland at Lord's and tomorrow's St. George's at Wellington Oval. But with so much at stake the odds are that Lionel Cann's team will come through with victories in both instances.

Meanwhile Somerset CC have quietly clawed their way into third place but with 14 points – and six points behind the leaders - their chances of league honours are not good.

But for a team not expected to be this high in the table so late in the season whatever position they manage to finish (and it indeed looks like it will be third or fourth) it will be quite satisfactory.

The westenders are away twice this weekend, today they travel to Southampton Oval to play Rangers while tomorrow they jaunt even further to take on Western Stars at St. John's.

Meanwhile there is an even more exciting title race occuring in the First Division as joint leaders Police and Devonshire Rec. attempt to strengthen their position while also holding off a challenge from third place Leg Trappers.

The division has one round being played which is tomorrow, Leg Trappers taking on Willow Cuts at Somerset CC, Devonshire entertaining PHC at Devonshire and Police at White Hill against Somerset Bridge.