While Somerset captain Albert Steede preferred to heap praise on his team for a truly harmonic performance over the two days of Cup Match, four individuals stood out in the eyes, minds and hearts of many.

Indeed the loudest cheers of "Somerset! Somerset! Somerset! Somerset!'' could well have been translated "Hassan! Sluggo! Kwame! Wendell!'' For it was one or more of the quartet containing Hassan Durham, Dwayne Leverock, Kwame Tucker and Wendell White who at any particular moment on either day kept the scales tipped in Somerset's favour.

Durham was the first to literally take matters into his own hands -- actually his trusted left hand -- as he proceeded to destroy St. George's' middle and late order with his brand of orthodox leg-breaks.

On a pitch generally regarded as favouring the batsmen, Durham highlighted his status as a bowler possessing wisdom and guile beyond his years, tempting his opponents into making rash shots and seizing upon their errors of judgment.

"Out there you just had to stick with it, bowl line and length, mix it up, give some air, push some through, bowl some over, some around the wicket... do what you had to do, because, basically, those guys were trying not to get out,'' explained Durham.

The Western Stars league player took five wickets in the first innings and one in the second for a match haul of six for 75 from 38.5 overs and was adamant that it was good bowling on the part of Somerset that claimed the day.

"We guys definitely bowled them out!'' he said, disregarding assertions that St. George's' batsmen lacked application. "In Cup Match guys bat just to not get out, so to bowl St. George's out twice shows how everyone did a good job from the bowlers, fielders, batsmen...everybody contributed.'' St. George's were exposed for their lack of technique against the quality spin bowling of Durham and room-mate Leverock.

The latter showed his worth in the second innings, as he ran amok, like Durham earning five scalps.

"A lot of them were not playing their natural style of play, they were being cautious and when a stroke-player acts cautious you get out,'' said Leverock.

"So I attacked them, they were cautious and I was able to get them out on the good balls.

"I got only one wicket in the first innings, but I was still bowling well. In the second innings I came prepared to work and that's what I did, worked real hard and took wickets when there were chances to do so.'' Meanwhile, for White, perhaps known best locally as a medium pace bowler, it was his bat that talked loudest on Thursday afternoon, as he and Tucker rescued the home side.

With Somerset sputtering at 29 for four, White joined Tucker in the middle and what transpired was pure magic, with the pair lifting the hopes and spirits of thousands with a gutsy fifth wicket stand of 66.

Making the comeback all the more amazing was that each chose attack as the best weapon when many figured defence to be the preferred option.

"I'm a positive player and I always believe that if a ball is bad it should go,'' said White, never at a loss for words. "Everyone knows my style of batting, I take chances because I know I can do it. That's the way I learned to bat all my life and that's how it is.

"I just don't play Cup Match, I play Cup Match for Somerset, the people of Somerset, the fans. They had confidence in me, what I could do and I just went and put my best foot forward.'' And the Barbadian also moved to dispel notions that he was a bowler who can occasionally bat, saying: "I should correct the public right now. I am a batting allrounder.

"I've open batted all my life, started bowling first change when I came to Bermuda and decided to bat down at number four, so I'm a batting allrounder.'' Nevertheless, it was not all good news for White on day one as he collapsed in the dressing room and had to be taken to hospital to receive fluids prior to the final day.

Medical worries swirled around the likes of Kwame Tucker as well, with his back a source of concern in the build-up to the match, particularly over whether it could hold up over two days.

Tucker dispelled all notions with solid showings of 33 and 29 with the bat along with tidy work behind the stumps.

"That's me, I'm a big day man,'' said Tucker without a hint of arrogance.

"One thing about me, I'm a positive cricketer.'' High fives: The key to Somerset's Cup Match success was the bowling of leg-spinners Hasan Durham (left), who snapped up five wickets in the first innings, and Dwayne Leverock (right), who had five in the second.

Safe hands: Dean Minors of St. George's starts the long walk back after Dexter Basden (second from right) holds a sharp chance close to the wicket in the second innings.