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Only two rounds have been completed in the Carib National League. But already, these are crucial times for Sims Central Sports and the Santa Cruz Sports Association.

The two occupy the bottom two places in the standings ahead of the start of today's third round matches.

And while Santa Cruz are one off the bottom with 14 points, they have been losers twice already.

So skipper Lincoln Roberts, playing in his first league game of the season will be eager to avoid the hattrick when his side visits Clico Preysal.

Preysal, one place above and three points ahead of Santa Cruz, have not managed a win. But they came close in round two, making Alescon Comet follow on but being unable to bowl them out twice.

And the central team have been able to do something that today's opponents have not-pile up the runs.

Santa Cruz managed just 72 in their first innings against Queen's Park in the last round and were-hard pressed to make up the ground.

So they will be relying heavily on the influence and runs of Roberts, the most consistent Trinidad and Tobago batsman in the recently-concluded Busta Cup to boost their effort against a side that should be led by T&T skipper Ian Bishop.

At Presentation College ground in Chaguanas, Central Sports (12 points) have the difficult task of bettering current leaders Caroni Wanderers (42 points) if they are to stand a chance of moving off the bottom.

Wanderers moved to the top last weekend when they beat another side struggling to get runs, Moosai Sports, by 142 runs.

Down at the Queen's Park Oval, the defending champions, second-placed Parkites (35 points), will be aiming to keep the pressure on Wanderers when they host Comet.

This clash should pit new Comet captain, Suruj Ragoonath, against his old team. In the other match today at Honeymoon Park, Moosai Sports should be boosted by the presence of vice-captain Leon Romero, back from national duty.

Having struggled with their batting in the last round, the home team will be keen to put a much more solid performance against fifth-placed Clarke Road.

All matches start at 1 p.m.