Onias Bascome has been confirmed as the new St George’s Cup Match captain, extending what has become a family tradition of leadership at the East End club.

“It was confirmed at the end of last week,” club president Neil Paynter said. “It was ultimately the management committee’s decision and we felt at this time Onias is the person to lead us.”

The news comes as Treadwell Gibbons and Macai Simmons, who were reported yesterday as having suffered serious injuries at the weekend, were left out of the final trial match this Saturday at Wellington Oval.

However, the selectors have not yet ruled out considering the pair for selection when they meet on Saturday night to select the team for the Annual Classic on July 29 and 30.

Gibbons and Simmons are recovering from hand injuries sustained in the St George’s league team’s victory over St David’s on Sunday, with both taken to the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre for treatment. Their condition will be assessed by the selectors over the course of the next week.

Onias Bascome, 26, is now among that group as the latest in a line of family members who have captained St George’s in Cup Match, including older brother Oronde, father Herbie Bascome, uncle Gregg Foggo and grandfather Gregory “Brutus” Foggo.

Bascome and George O’Brien will captain the President’s and Vice-President’s teams in Saturday’s match, which starts at 10am.

O’Brien, who ruled himself out of selection in 2018, is seeking a recall to the team, as are Oronde Bascome and Detroy Smith, who were among five players dropped in 2019. Bascome and Smith will feature in the President’s XI.

Bailey’s Bay, the Premier Division Twenty20 League leaders, have four players — Coolidge Durham, Sinclair Smith, Kyle Hodsoll and Zeko Burgess — in the President’s XI and another, Rodney Trott, playing for the Vice-President’s XI. So is fast bowler Mackih McGowan, the only colt from 2019.

Paynter said preparation for Cup Match is gong well, considering the uncertainty of its return this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The club has been cleared to host 4,000 spectators each day because of Covid restrictions.

“We didn’t have much time but we’ve done a lot in the time that we’ve had,” Paynter said. “It will be all the same amenities at Cup Match, Crown & Anchor, scaffolding and concession stands, but it is scaled down.

“We’ve allowed 4,000 people per day, but that’s still quite an amount. It’s probably what we average on the first day, between 4,000 and 6,000. Little odds and ends to be done now but we’ll be ready on the Thursday morning.”

Holders Somerset also named their trials team for Saturday, with Stephen Outerbridge the only member from their 2019 squad who will lose his place.

Outerbridge, the new president at Bailey’s Bay, has focused on his administrative role in the hosting of the 2021 Eastern Counties series and so his “retirement” comes as no surprise.

However, there are likely returns for Kamau Leverock and Tre Manders, who were ruled out in 2019 because of injuries from bike crashes.

Dalin Richardson suffered a hamstring injury while batting against Bailey’s Bay last weekend and was initially considered questionable. But he has been selected nonetheless and will appear in the President’s XI captained by Jordan DeSilva.

Terryn Fray leads the Vice-President’s XI.

CUP MATCH FINAL TRIAL SQUADS

St George’s

President’s XI: Onias Bascome (captain), Oronde Bascome, Coolidge Durham, Detroy Smith, Isaiah Greaves, Nzari Paynter, Sinclair Smith (wk), Charles Trott, Kyle Hodsoll, Zeko Burgess, Allan Douglas. Reserves: Rohan Richards, Jamar Stovel.

Vice-President’s XI: George O’Brien (captain), Rodney Trott, Temiko Wilson (wk), Q'Shai Darrell, Makai Young, Logan Jones, Justin Pitcher, Mackih McGowan, Keith Whorms, Jabari Darrell, Zari Tomlinson. Reserves: Tybrae Robinson, Jordan Burgess

Somerset

President’s XI: Jordan DeSilva (captain), Chris Douglas, Terron Webb, Steven Bremar (wk), Tre Manders, Malachi Jones, Derrick Brangman, Nyrobi Mills, Terence Corday, Isaiah Richardson, Dalin Richardson. Reserves: Macari Tear-Deleon, Calum McIntosh.

Vice-President’s XI: Terryn Fray (captain), Alje Richardson, Amari Ebbin (wk), Kwasi James, Dion Stovell, Sheldon Caesar, Greg Maybury, Dominic Sabir, Kamau Leverock, Azar Maybury, Jerez Eve. Reserves: Patrick Dill, Jace Donawa.