Should anyone catch a glimpse of Somerset Cricket Club players napping in the stands at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados during this week's third Test match between West Indies and India, they might be excused.

For according to coach Winston Reid, the club's tour of the Caribbean island will not be all fun and games as the west enders intensify their preparations ahead of the 2002 domestic season.

Somerset flew out of the Island last Friday.

Faced with having to play three matches in as many days against some of the region's top local sides, Reid said prior to the team's departure that the moment their plane hits the tarmac in Barbados "it's off to the cricket ground" for practice.

Accompanying the team, which will play against Market Hill Community Club, Maple Hill Cricket Club and the Barbados Defence Force, are Somerset club president Colin Smith, secretary Dwayne Simmons, tour manager Kevin Saunders, assistant manager Randy Scott, team statistician Yvette Brangman and coach Reid.

Somerset Cup Match star spinner Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock, who played league cricket with Western Stars last season, will also be suiting up for Somerset while on tour.

"Primarily one of the reasons why we are going is to give the guys an opportunity to play cricket at a different level and to play in different conditions and on faster wickets," said Reid.

"It will be good for our pre-season training and for the team's youngsters.

"A lot of the English teams go down to the Caribbean around this time of the year and get their pre-season training in too. It also gives us a chance to watch Test cricket and see what it's all about. So it is sort of a two-fold thing. You know . . . get two bites at the cherry."

"I expect a lot of commitment from them," added Reid. "The moment the plane hits the tarmac, it's off to the cricket ground to get the guys acquainted with their new surroundings. They belong to me for the first three days. Only after then will they be allowed to relax - after we've completes our three matches."

Reid said he hoped that when the team returned to the Island they would be better equipped to compete at a higher level in the new Super Eight league.

"We are definitely preparing ourselves for that," added the coach. "So hopefully the guys will learn a lot from the tour and bring it back home with them."

The local side were set to begin the tour against Reid's former club, Market Hill Community Club.

All matches are scheduled to be 40-over contests and played in the St.George area which is located in the heart of the Caribbean Island.

From there it's on to Bridgetown for what promises to be yet another exciting Test match between the West Indies and India which starts on Thursday.

Full Somerset squad is as follows: J.Robinson, T.Cheeseman, C.Jackson, S.Warner, L.Place, S.Roberts, W.White, D.Gibbs, F.Richardson, K.Maybury, R.Jones, K.Hollis, D.Leverock.