Albert Steede recently found out.

Thanks to a phone call from Cornell Fubler, a friend from high school, a 28-year-old South African cricketer has found his way to Steede's club, Western Stars for the 2000 season.

After training with Stars in pre-season, Saleem Mukudem is set to make his debut for Stars tomorrow against St. George's in the top match at Wellington Oval.

"Cornell said he had someone very interested in cricket and I'm glad he called me,'' said Steede who will be making his own debut as captain.

"We gladly accepted him and invited him down for practice sessions. He's a very useful allrounder, very knowledgeable about the game and with a very good technique. He's a very good person to talk to about the game.'' Test players Nasser Hussain of England and Adrian Griffiths of West Indies both recently played as club pro for Mukudem's club in South Africa.

Former Stars captain Arnold Manders also thinks Mukudem will be one of the best signings of the season.

"He's a class player, I can tell you that,'' said Manders who faced Mukudem's bowling in the nets.

Stars will have another promising player in their team, a Bermudian teenager who learned his cricket in school in England and then with Middlesex's under-19 team which he captained. The name Sam Stevens might be better known in squash circles, where he represented the country at youth level, but by all reports his also has a lot of promise as a cricketer.

"He spent a lot of time in England in school but now he's finished school and is going to try for the Middlesex's second XI,'' said Steede of the 18-year-old Stevens who will be on the Island until the end of the month before he heads back to England.

"He's a good allrounder but it's difficult to assess one's ability if they haven't been in the middle,'' said his captain.

Mukudem, who only recently arrived on the Island and works for a local exempt company, is a top order bat at number three or four while Stevens will likely come in at six or seven.

"The strength is probably his bowling,'' said Steede.

Last weekend Western Stars opened their season with a win without walking onto the field against Somerset Bridge whose field wasn't ready, but they will have to work a lot harder for their second straight victory against fellow Camel Cup semi-finalists.

With some of the senior Stars players nearing retirement and being more selective in the matches they play this season while youngsters are groomed, the pair should add to the team's allround strength. Brothers Gary and Alan Brangman are already at retirement status which leaves a gap with the new ball which Mukudem and Stevens could fill tomorrow. Manders is one of the senior players who is gradually easing himself out of the team, though he will play tomorrow.

The veterans are likely to play against the stronger clubs like champions Southampton Rangers, Bailey's Bay, St. George's and St. David's while pushing the youngsters, who include the sons of some of those senior players, against the so-called weaker teams.

"I think we have a very good blend of youth and experience,'' said captain Steede. "It's going to be challenging with the new players but once we get everything together we should be a team to reckon with.'' St. George's will welcome back captain Herbie Bascome, who was off the Island last weekend, while player-coach and wicketkeeper Dean Minors returned from school yesterday, maybe too late to play tomorrow.

Two other matches tomorrow should get high billing, the one at Somerset between Willow Cuts and Bailey's Bay and the Southampton Oval contest between the champions and Cleveland.

Police inflicted a surprise loss on Rangers last weekend when they defeated them by four wickets. And the Cleveland match won't be any easier for Rangers whose only loss in the league last season was at the hands of Cleveland in their first outing.

Jermaine Warner blasted 86 for Bailey's Bay and will be looking for another big score against his former Willow Cuts team.

In other matches, Devonshire Rec. travel to White Hill to meet Somerset Bridge, PHC entertain Somerset at Sea Breeze Oval, Flatts take on St. David's at Devonshire Rec. in a clash of the Eastern Counties sides and Social Club play Police at Police Field.