wicket-taker in local cricket at the halfway stage of the season, as cousins Charlie Marshall and Noel Gibbons top the respective batting and bowling averages (see Sport Scoreboard , Page 14).

While Steede's batting exploits live up to expectations, allrounder Place, back in the game this season after missing last season because of a leg injury, has upstaged Bermuda's top bowlers to emerge as the top wicket-taker with his seamers. Already he has 34 dismissals, with 24 of them coming in six open division matches.

Steede has scored 804 runs so far and with a minimum of 15 innings still to come, starting with today's final trial match at Somerset, the Devonshire number three bat has a 1,000 run season well within his reach.

The stylish bat has already blasted four half centuries and two centuries with a highest score of 123. He is averaging 53.60 and is one of five players with an average over 50.

Steede is also the top wicketkeeper, with 19 dismissals to lead the likes of Allan Douglas, Dean Minors, Anthony Manders, Cordell Gilbert and Anthony Fubler who all have 15.

Marshall leads the batting with a 54.40 average with Steede second and Dexter Basden of Willow Cuts third. Bay teenager Glenn Smith is fifth in the averages and is second behind Steede in the total runs (602).

Gibbons, again, is the leading bowling in the league and is the only bowler in the top 20 to average under 10 runs per wicket. His 32 wickets have come at an average of 7.78. The allrounder is also sixth in the batting with an average of 46.60 from his 10 innings.

Place, a former Bermuda youth team player, leads the wickets with 34 while Rodney Fubler of Willow Cuts has 33 wickets, including figures of six for 13 against champions Devonshire. Fubler is second in the averages and Place third. Lionel Cann's eight for 16 against Nationals in the Champion of Champions semi finals is the best bowling figures of the season while his St.

David's teammate Herbie Bascome is the top fielder with 15 catches.

Open league cricket continues tomorrow, although the talk is expected to centre around the two Cup Match team selections.

Leaders Western Stars should have an easy win against last placed Warwick while second and third placed Bailey's Bay and Willow Cuts face tougher matches.

Bay are at home to Police in the top match while Willow Cuts, leaders of this division until last weekend, are at home to Hamilton Parish. Nationals and Devonshire, who complete the top five, will also have to work hard to stay in contention for the top spot.

Nationals, soon to be without their captain and top batsman Darrin Lewis who is returning to school, host Cleveland at National Sports Club while the champions travel to Lords to meet St. David's.

Schedule: Willow Cuts v Ham. Parish (Royal Naval Field), Nationals v Cleveland (Nationals), St. David's v Devonshire (Lords), St. George's v Som. Bridge (Wellington Oval), Bailey's Bay v Police (Sea Breeze Oval), Flatts v Somerset (Devonshire Rec), Western Stars v Warwick (St. John's Field), Southampton v Social Club (Southampton Oval). All matches start at noon.