Former Bermuda number one Dexter Smith enjoyed a successful return to league play with three victories, including one over his successor Nick Frost, 19-21, 21-11, 21-17.

Frost, in the off-season's biggest move, transferred cross town to BAA after The Centre decided not the have a team in the league.

This move is seen to make BAA strong contenders for the league championship currently held by Hamilton Parish I.

But they stumbled at the first gate with Smith and Craig Trott winning the second doubles over Frost and Dave Waltham in straight games.

Stars built a 5-4 lead going into the doubles with Trott and Mansfield Smith recording wins over an out-of-touch Mike Lindo to assist Dexter Smith, who sat out all of last season's league programme and surfaced late to win the Bermuda Open.

Frost and Waltham each had two wins in singles, then Frost and Lindo survived a series of match points to beat the two Smiths in the first doubles to keep hope alive.

The reigning champions had a night off as their match against new team Cleveland was called off.

But Parish's second team saw action in a 7-4 triumph over Wolves. Roderick Masters went unbeaten and Kacy King and Terry Smith each won once. King's two losses came via the default route.

Two other newcomers to the league were given a harsh welcome. Prison Officers beat BPSA Simbas 10-1 and Southampton Princess All-Stars blanked St. George's Community Centre 11-0.

Stuart Trott and Cal Butterfield each won three times for the Officers and Brandon Robinson twice. Derek Dillas had the lone win for BPSA. Kingsley Burchall, Egbert Levine and Cyril Rubaine were winners throughout for All-Stars.

The other match saw West Indian Association, back after a season out, beat much-weakened Bermuda College 6-5.

College, who are without overseas students Dwayne Hill and Owen Hunt, have only Rawle Frederick as a seasoned player and are expected to be mid-table at best.

Frederick won his three matches and youngsters Shayne Scott and Marlon Towell one each, but WIA fought back to win both doubles, the second at 21-19 in the third.

NETBALL NET Netball opens its 20th season this weekend with Valerie Dill, one of the founding members and the first president of the Bermuda Netball Association, and Sports Minister Pamela Gordon being the guest speakers.

The ceremony at Bernard Park on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m., will include the `march pass' by the teams, which has replaced the traditional dress parade, as well as the shooting competition and the Sylvia Eastley Tournament.

Netts will start the new season as the team to beat, after sweeping the honours board last season by winning both the First and Second Division league and knockout competitions, the overall knockout, the Sylvia Eastley and the Milo Tournament. They open the defence of their Sylvia Eastley title against last year's runners-up Coca-Cola.

Other first-round matches see Warwick Redbirds taking on PCC, Hamilton Parish meeting AICO and Wolves going against Panthers. North Village have a bye.

Coca-Cola are the defending champions in the shooting competition while Penny Moore of Coke is the individual shooting champion.

There will be seven teams competing in the First Division this season and eight in the Second Division, where competition begins on Sunday with four matches. The 9.45 a.m. matches see Wolves playing Olympic Panthers and Netts Greens taking on AICO on the east and west courts at Bernard Park while at 11.15 PCC meet Warwick Redbirds and Netts play Boulevard at the same venues.

June Dill is in her second term as president of the association while Debbie Saltus is again the first vice-president and Penny Henry the second vice-president. Tanya Boyles is the secretary and Dena Brangman the treasurer.

Ideitha James in the assistant secretary-treasurer.

The council members are Shirleen Bascome, Dion Butterfield, Jene Charles, Davita Gibbons and Donna Tucker.

BOWLING BOW In last Thursday's action in the Miller High Life Bowling League Franklin Travel lost 18-12 to Tomp's Towing Service in a close low-scoring match.

For the winners, Victor Thompson had the third high game of 229 while Steven Paul led the losers.

League leaders Tools and Equipment rolled to an easy 27-3 win over a short-handed Signature Card team. Conrad Lister paced the winners with his high game and series of 257 and 623 respectively. Tools had the night's high team game and series of 1,016 and 2,735.

New Mix Ups rolled to a 19-11 win over Team Spirit in another close but low-scoring match with Eddie Daniels the high man for the winners and Vernon Daniels tops for the losers.

Gosling's fought to an 18-12 win over Stevedoring Services as Hank Rawlins rolled to the night's second high individual series of 602. Gilbert DeCosta paced the losers in this battle.

The final match saw Marlboro roll to a 251 -41 win over Spoilers as Marlboro had the second high team game and series of 938 and 2,727.

Tonight's matches: Signature Card v New Mix Ups; Tomp's v Stevedoring; Franklin v Marlboro; T&E v Spoilers; Team Spirit v Gosling's.