This past weekend Somerset and St George’s selected their teams and they both possess exciting, match-winning players.This year the anticipation of another thrilling game has fans eagerly awaiting the Cup Match Classic. After such an exciting game last year fans are hungry for another blockbuster and can’t wait for tomorrow and Friday. Today, I take a closer look at both teams and their keys to victory.First, we look at the challengers who on paper appear very strong. Somerset, I must say, have done a reasonably good job with their selection. They are definitely strong in the batting department with a wide variety in bowling, but as challengers do they have sufficient amount of quality bowling to win the cup outright?I am a strong believer that if you are trying to win the cup you must include specialist bowlers who must bring something different and special to the table to switch up and make the opposing batsmen uncomfortable in order to be effective.Personally, if I was a Somerset selector I would have made one change to the line-up they picked and that would be to leave out either Terryn Fray or Tre Manders in order to take an extra fast bowler. However, they do possess four specialist bowlers in Malachi Jones, Kamau Leverock, Greg Maybury and Derrick Brangman. Is this really enough bowling to win the cup back? Tactics and strategies over the two days will reveal.Jacobi Robinson has proved me wrong by making the Somerset team, but I do not consider him a specialist bowler as he is no longer a fast bowler, but now has turned to bowling spin. He and Somerset will find that Cup Match is of a much higher standard than First Division cricket and the abundance of wickets that he has been able to acquire in this division will not come as easily in the Classic.What Somerset do have are a few all-rounders in Janeiro Tucker, Stephen Outerbridge, Tre Manders and Chris Douglas, who can bowl a few overs to give their key bowlers a rest. The contribution that these players make will be vital, because they will now be expected to chip in with the wicket-taking. Bowling is an art! Specialist bowlers win matches, not part-time bowlers, but I am sure Somerset will endeavour to prove me wrong.Somerset’s key to victory is simple: they must make use of their time wisely. Somerset have to bat first so that they dictate the pace of the game. Somerset should look to make the first innings a 40-over game. However, they must learn from their approach last year. Instead of everyone being overly aggressive, one batsman has to bat sensibly and be the backbone of their innings. In 40 overs.Somerset have to look to score 200-plus runs and declare, or bat no longer than 2.30pm. This way it gives them ample time on day one to bowl St George’s out and possibly get back in if St George’s suffer a collapse. Somerset must get in and give themselves a 180-220 run lead and declare depending on the time. They must put the game in a situation whereby there is sufficient that someone will win or lose.The worst thing Somerset can do is fear losing. They must be willing to lose to try to win the cup; if they take this approach they have a very good chance of winning. Somerset must keep the pressure on St George’s. The strategy to get Lionel Cann and Glenn Blakeney out cheaply is key to their success. If they can do this it will put immense pressure on the rest of the St George’s team, and that in my humble opinion is their only chance of winning.St George’s didn’t have much to debate when picking their team. This had to be the easiest team ever to pick in the history of Cup Match. With George O’Brien and Chris Foggo not playing in the final trial for whatever reason made the selectors’ job real easy. Congratulations to Blakeney and Kyle Hodsoll on picking yourself with two outstanding performances.As a coach it makes selection so much simpler when a player performs and shows he deserves to be in the team. It stops all doubt and arguments when picking the team and you are less likely to be at risk of being disappointed and being left out because you didn’t perform on the final trial day.St George’s have shown they do not fear Somerset and that they are coming to Somerset looking for a win as they selected three specialist fast bowlers. However, the St George’s team is well balanced as they have strong batting right down to number eight and all three fast bowlers are also capable batsmen who can hang around.The key to St George’s winning is simply executing their game plan. Based on the team picked by Somerset, St George’s know exactly how they will come at them and what to expect. Therefore, the bowlers have to bowl to the plan. If St George’s bowl and field to the standards they are capable of they can put themselves in position to give Somerset a 2-1.For the last two years St George’s should have beaten Somerset convincingly, but in their first innings they simply didn’t bat up to their abilities, thus keeping Somerset in the game. The key to StGeorge’s claiming a victory will be to dismiss Outerbridge and Tucker early to put pressure on the less experienced Somerset batsmen.While the players play the game the coaches are just as important. Decision-making and strategy are vital to preparation of both teams. Somerset have added Albert Steede and Jeff Richardson to their coaching staff, which should bring about a more tactical approach. St George’s have a new coach in George Cannonier, but with an experienced support staff ofHerbie Bascome and Clevie Wade, he has more than enough tactical support.There is no doubt that both teams will play for a win as the demands from the public for a winner have become more and more demanding. If Somerset come looking to win in the manner they did last year, it is my prediction that St George’s will be celebrating the victory around 5.30 on Friday evening. Regardless of who wins, I encourage the players to go out there and entertain Bermuda, so that at the end of the day cricket is the winner.