team to offer league champions Devonshire Rec. their biggest challenge in the new cricket season.

The former Eastern Counties champions, who beat Devonshire Rec. in the knockout final last year, intend to go one better by winning their first league title since 1988.

The return of Derron Trott and Glenn Smith from Hamilton Parish and Charlie Marshall, their new vice-captain, from St. George's adds to an already formidable side, who on paper are one of the strongest in the league.

Even without Marshall and captain Chris Smith on the England tour because of work commitments, Bay proved too strong for their hosts, Halesowen, as they won both matches convincingly under former captain Noel Gibbons' leadership.

Having already played a couple of matches Bay should have an early-season edge on the rest of the teams, especially for the first three weeks of the season when limited overs matches are played.

"We have a damn good team and if we can play as a unit like we ended up last season I have no doubt we will end up with some silver,'' captain Smith predicted this week. "When the guys come back off the tour they'll be ready.'' Gibbons can attest to that, having put the team through two training sessions a day while in England.

"We've had some hard work,'' Gibbons said from Birmingham on Monday night.

"We've been training in the indoor nets at Cradley High School from nine o'clock to one o'clock and then at Halesowen Field from 1.30 to 3.30. We're really looking forward to seeing how the team will play with the new additions.'' Derron Trott did not play on the tour because he is still having problems with his knee, but when fit he is expected to form a three-man attack with Anthony Braithwaite and Clarkie Trott that will be one of the most feared in the league, with Gibbons, Ricky Hodsoll and youngsters Jermaine Outerbridge and Dennis Pilgrim adding to a formidable attack.

Gibbons said the two tours have served their purpose, giving the players tremendous exposure. "From doing the tour last year it opened the guys' eyes a bit and the season we had last year had a lot to do with the tour,'' the Bay veteran said.

"By doing the same thing this year and picking up three quality players we'll definitely have the league title on our minds. I think this is one of our better teams since we had Ricky (Hill), Terry (Burgess) and Roger (Trott) playing with us.'' Hamilton Parish have been overshadowed by the goings-on at Sea Brezze Oval, but have picked up players themselves with Millard Bean returning from Flatts, spinner Kent Gibbons from Bay and Brian Morris from Nationals.

Captain Ricky Hill is also hopeful Bay's Quinn Outerbridge will be back in Parish colours after returning from his honeymoon, while Corey Hill and Philip Burgess will not be back from school until early next month.

"Looking back on last year I don't think we did too badly, and with the season starting with three 50-overs matches it's important that the guys follow instructions and be as economical as possible,'' said captain Hill, who is also handling the coaching with Terry Burgess his vice-captain.

Former league champions St. George's also do not expect to be their strongest until early next month when Clay Smith and Dean Minors return from college.

St. George's had just four players training on Sunday, compared to just six the previous weekend, but captain Wendell Smith expects things to pick up this week.

Smith, Eugene Foggo, Graham Fox and Kenny Phillips will be their most experienced players, with spinner David Adams expected to return to the team having missed the whole of last season. They have also picked up former Police player Ian Moe.

"I think we'll just bide our time until Clay and Dean come back,'' said captain Smith. "Clay is due back in the first week of May and Dean the second week, so they'll miss about four games.'' Two youngsters lost are Andrew Richardson who has joined Flatts while Phillip Bailey has moved on to Hamilton Parish. Opening bowler Troy Harford is now living in the United States.

One of Smith's former team-mates at St. George's, Clevie Wade, is expecting good things from Southampton Rangers in his second year with the Western Counties champions. Rangers have lost four players, Gladwin Ingham, Sidney Simmons, Gary Crofton and Lee Raynor, Jr., to west-end rivals Somerset Bridge and have picked up Stevie Lightbourne and Calix Todd from Warwick and Lyndon Raynor who has returned from Police.

"I think the team is much stronger, especially with Stevie joining us,'' said player/coach Wade. "We lost a spinner for a spinner (Raynor for Simmons) and plus Lyndon can hold the bat in the lower order. Calix has been a regular in training. Ricky Brangman will captain Rangers this season with Olin Jones his vice captain.

Somerset Bridge have also gotten Brian Gibbons back after a season with Willow Cuts as well as former Rangers fast bowler Craig Brangman. Last weekend some 28 players were reported to be training at White Hill field.

Lee Raynor, Sr. will be helping Social Club out in a coaching capacity while another former Cup Match player, Shiraz Ali, is understood to be coaching at Warwick where Hoyt Zuill has replaced Robin Swan as captain.

GLENN SMITH -- One of the key acquisitions at Bailey's Bay for the new season.