Bailey’s Bay all-rounder Sharye Tavares has dropped a Cup Match bombshell after switching from St George’s to Somerset on the eve of the final trials.

The son of St George’s legend Noel Gibbons initially trained with the East Enders before having a change of heart and opting to try his luck at Somerset instead.

“I am going to play for Somerset on Saturday,” Tavares told The Royal Gazette.

The player, who has made an impact with bat and ball this season, was named in the President’s XI for St George’s on Wednesday night but will instead turn out tomorrow for Somerset’s Vice-President’s XI, who will be led by his club captain, Terryn Fray.

Some familiar faces will be in action at Somerset Cricket Club this weekend with Kwasi James and Steven Bremar, who both missed out last year, seeking recalls.

Warwick all-rounder James was ruled out through suspension in 2022, while Cleveland County wicketkeeper-batsman Bremar was dropped in favour of Western Stars counterpart Khiry Furbert, who made his debut in the Annual Classic.

“It’s always good to have people back and potentially they just slot into an already strong batting line-up,” Somerset coach Jeff Richardson said.

“We are spoilt with riches, so when we lose one we bring in another and we don’t skip a beat.

“It’s difficult to say what they actually bring to the table as individuals, but they slot into positions and we don’t lose anything as a team.

“It’s good to have that luxury and it’s a luxury that we have had for quite some time now. We have had Jekon Edness retire, Jacobi Robinson retire and Janeiro Tucker retire, and we have kept it going.”

Somerset’s trial match will feature all 11 players who thrashed St George’s by ten wickets for the second successive year last year.

Among them is Cleveland all-rounder Dion Stovell, who thumped a maiden hundred and claimed match figures of six for 101 to earn the man-of-the-match award.

Others attempting to break into Richardson’s team include Western Stars batter Jaiden Manders, Somerset all-rounder Dominic Sabir and Bay seamer Macquille Walker.

Sabir earned the Cup Match Safe Hands Award as a reserve last year, while Walker is heading into the trial with momentum after claiming six wickets in holders Bay’s draw with St David’s in a rain-affected Eastern Counties first-round match at Sea Breeze Oval last weekend.

“We have had some pretty decent performances throughout the season,” Richardson said.

“We have had a couple of individual performances in the counties, so we do have some people we are going to be looking at.

“We also have a couple of guys who have been plying their trade overseas and look good in training, so it should be a very competitive match on Saturday and the selectors hopefully will have something to discuss.

“I have always believed that people need to do something special during the Cup Match trial to give the selectors something to think about.”