Promising batsman Azeem Pitcher has just given his relatives a dilemma ? who do they support come Cup Match?

The smooth-stroking Somerset player?s fruitful season has helped him force his way into the Cup Match limelight as the defending champions? lone colt this year.

However, having been born and raised in St. George?s he is well aware the decision to seek his Cup Match fortunes in enemy territory may leave his family with split allegiances come Thursday and Friday.

?I grew up around there but I wasn?t dedicated to any team and I never played Junior County or Mini Cup Match and I never tried out for St. George?s,? said the left-handed batsman yesterday in the wake of his selection.

Thrilled to be summoned for the classic after just his second season back in competitive cricket, Pitcher noted ?I had to do what I had to do? and was quite cool about the likelihood that much of his family will be waving the light blue and dark blue colours of St. George?s come Cup Match.

Will they be cheering him on too?

?We?ll see,? said the 24-year-old who usually enters the fray at number three or four for his First Division club.

As for his elevation to Cup Match, he felt it was just reward for work well done.

?I feel privileged but also that I deserved it. I had a good season. Maybe I didn?t have a good trial but the selectors saw the potential in me and they have faith in me and I have faith in myself and I?ll be looking to do well,? he said, rating his century against Police as his best performance this year.

?It was a well-compiled hundred. There weren?t too many boundaries but I stayed at the crease for about two-and-a-half to three hours and didn?t give too many chances.?

Pitcher?s coach and Cup Match selector Winston Reid explained why his young charge got the nod.

?I see Azeem play every week and he works extremely hard. He had a good enough season to merit a play. His fielding is outstanding. He comes to training early and he puts everything into his game and we thought he deserved a chance,? he elaborated.

Pitcher?s inclusion is one of four changes to Somerset?s formidable Cup Match line-up following Albert Steede?s retirement, Jermaine Postlethwaite?s unavailability and the exclusion of Bailey?s Bay duo Corey Hill and Dennis Pilgrim.

The remaining three positions have been filled by opener Curtis Jackson, allrounder Wendell White and fast bowler Kevin Hurdle ? all recalled as the West End club defend the trophy away from home.

Chairman of cricket and of Somerset?s Cup Match selection panel Anthony Bailey expressed satisfaction with those chosen for the mid-summer showdown.

?The team is a balanced one. We have at least seven bowlers, ten batsmen and one who fancies himself as a batsman in Kevin Hurdle.

?We?re looking for a team to go into St. George?s and not only retain the cup but go for victory. We have a feeling that St. George?s will prepare a wicket that favours pace hence we brought back someone who we believe to be one of the faster bowlers in the Island in Kevin. If it?s a grassy top he will remove the opening batsmen for us which is what we?re looking for,? he said.

?He (Hurdle) came in as a replacement for Corey Hill. In terms of Wendell White, that?s a definite substitute for Dennis Pilgrim ? a left-arm bowler and an excellent batsman and fielder. He?s an allrounder so we didn?t lose anything there.?

Regarding Curtis Jackson, Bailey and Reid noted the Southampton Rangers player had been in solid form this season.

?We?ve lost our two opening batsmen from last year (Steede and Postlethwaite). We needed to bring in an experienced opening batsman ? a specialist ? and the best of the lot was Jackson.

?He made the team based on that and the fact that he is having a good season. He made a good 80 yesterday (trial match) and we had no choice but to include him. I think he will be a great asset,? said Reid, pointing out that Jackson?s close-to-the-wicket fielding is also superb.

The task of whittling trial invitees down to a final XI was far from easy in the Somerset camp.

?We spent a long time trying to come up with the right team. We had some very good players in training and we knew we would have to leave out some.

?Competition was great among the players and they were very keen,? said Reid who was particularly impressed with Hurdle?s fiery deliveries.

Bailey stressed that the cup holders would be seeking to win outright at Wellington Oval on Friday and to give the public positive cricket.

?That?s something we have been emphasising with the team. We want guys to go out there and play as a team, not as individuals. In the past we felt a few players were out there playing for themselves ? self-glory.

?In order to win a match you have to play as a team and sacrifice for the team. We have batsmen and bowlers who can bowl them out twice. Our emphasis will be on entertainment. If we entertain the public we will. It?s as simple as that. We?re not going to lose that?s for sure,? stated Bailey, adding it doesn?t matter which 11 players St. George?s put out ?we?re going down there to win?.

Meanwhile, White beamed with delight at his return to the Cup Match fold.

?Yes, it was a surprise because early in the season I said I wasn?t really interested in playing and that I would leave Cup Match for the youngsters. But the players and club members saw the form I?m in, scoring runs, and they asked me to play.

?I?m a club man. I love my club so I?m happy to play,? said the 40-year-old, singling out his chanceless 144 against Willow Cuts two weekends ago as a highlight.

As for his bowling, he noted he has performed well all season though not always getting the number of wickets his efforts deserved.

The President?s XI defeated the Vice-President?s XI in Somerset?s final Cup Match trial.

Playing a one-innings, open cricket format, the Vice-President?s XI were dismissed for 198 and their rivals replied with 200 for six.

Wendell White scored 78 not out (nine fours, four sixes) for the Vice-President?s team while Daniel Morgan, Lamar Caines and Kyle Lightbourne chipped in with 25, 24 and 21 respectively.

Shane Hollis took two wickets for 24 runs from 12.4 overs while Dean Stevens took two for 26 from nine overs. Dennis Pilgrim and Jacobi Robinson also took two wickets each, the latter surrendering 60 runs from 14 overs while Pilgrim went for 34 runs from 12 overs. Kevin Hurdle grabbed one for 47 from 13 overs.

Curtis Jackson piloted the President?s XI to victory with an unbeaten 83, including 13 fours and a six. Robinson was not out 22 at the end while Stephen Outerbridge and Stevens scored 25 and 23 respectively to assist in the successful run chase.

Bowling for the Vice-President?s team, Jordan DeSilva snared two wickets for 32 from eight overs while Lightbourne took one for 45 from 12.2 overs and Corey Hill, one for 26 from eight overs.