By Clay Smith

Somerset Cricket Club and St George’s Cricket Club have less than a month before the annual Cup Match classic.

Today I’ll look at both teams to see which players should be worried about their place on the team as well as those who are pushing for a claim.

Also, the topic of club politics has players buzzing with anticipation of what’s to come from this year’s team selections.

For the past two years, Somerset have picked the same team, which is something that has never happened before during my time in cricket.

However, this shows the dominance, consistency and confidence that they have in their group.

If any player is to break into the existing Somerset team, they will have to be having an exceptional season.

Taking a closer look at last year’s Somerset team, what player, or players, could possibly have to worry about his spot for the 2014 Cup Match classic?

Last year’s team consisted of Jekon Edness, Stephen Outerbridge, Janeiro Tucker, Chris Douglas, Derrick Brangman, Kamau Leverock, Malachi Jones, Terryn Fray, Jacobi Robinson, Greg Maybury and Tre Manders. A very strong, well-balanced team, with a mix of youth and experience.

From the Somerset team, the only possible place up for grabs this season could be Leverock’s because there is talk of him possibly staying in England. In contention for that spot, if Leverock is unavailable, is Somerset league player Jordan DeSilva or Willow Cuts’ Kamal Bashir.

The only other players with possible pressure to perform are Outerbridge and Fray. Two players looking to apply pressure on them are Deunte Darrell, of Willow Cuts, and Southampton Rangers youngster Alex Dore. However, they would have to do something very special in the remaining weeks for Somerset’s selectors to even consider dismantling such a strong team.

On the other side of the coin, we have challengers St George’s, who selected a very young and inexperienced team last year. The team selection caused joy to some, while others were left baffled. Were it not for rain and a valuable partnership by two veterans — Lionel Cann and Rodney Trott — St George’s were staring at a heavy defeat.

So what shall this year bring?

Last year’s St George’s team was: Oronde Bascome, Onais Bascome, Allan Douglas Jr, Christian Burgess, Lionel Cann, Rodney Trott, Lateef Trott, Zeko Burgess, Treadwell Gibbons Jr, Justin Pitcher and OJ Pitcher. St George’s selectors have a nightmare on their hands and I would not want to be in their shoes. Apart from Cann, OJ Pitcher and Rodney Trott, everyone else is dispensable.

Oronde Bascome is one player who is likely to retain his spot in the team. Whether he is captain or not remains to be seen. As of last week, it was not known when he will be returning to the Island. However, I would be very surprised if they replaced him.

As for the rest, many of them have underperformed this year and none can say their place is secure. The month of July is pressure month. July is the month that will make or break you as a player. For many within the team, the last trial will be immense pressure.

Players on the outside looking to hopefully acquire a spot are the St David’s quartet of Fiqre Crockwell, Rudell Pitcher, Delyone Borden and George O’Brien. Also looking for a place in the team is the Bailey’s Bay’s trio of Kyle Hodsoll, Sinclair Smith and Delray Rawlins.

Cleveland County players Damali Bell and Jason Anderson will also aim to apply pressure on the selectors. Shannon Raynor, of Southampton Rangers, did himself justice scoring a hundred in the first trial, which should have raised some eyebrows.

Again, last week’s column on Cup Match politics had the players talking. One player stated that to say it is politics is not enough; clubs need to be held accountable for their selections because the public are paying big money to come through the gates and they are expecting to see the best players on show.

Another player said: “It is very discouraging when you have performed all year and trained hard just to see other players be given a free ride because of who they are and what club they play for.”

It was discussed how Keith Wainwright had one of the best averages in league cricket, thus was asked to retire after scoring 80-odd runs in the final trial at Somerset, only to be left out of the team. Also, how veteran Noel Gibbons made a comeback scoring multiple half-centuries and claiming wickets, along with a fifty in the final trial and still somehow was left out of the St George’s team in favour of a club player.

With a month left before Cup Match, players will want to step up their game and start performing if they realistically want to have a chance to make Cup Match this year. Somerset are the champions and they are oozing with confidence, thus looking unbeatable.

St George’s are caught between crossroads, as some feel it is time to rebuild, while others feel they have the team to win the trophy back now. As St George’s Cup Match veteran “Tubby” Richardson stated this week in an article: “Cup Match is no fun game, it is for real. And if you can’t take it, you have to stay out of the game.”

Which to me implies, Cup Match is not a joke. You have to take your strongest team when you go to war and those who are mentally tough enough for the battle; there’s no place for favours. I think that speaks volumes.

Quote of the week: Mental toughness is to physical as 4 is to 1

— Bobby Knight