Malachi Jones will become the youngest colt to appear in Cup Match in the past 19 years when he takes to the pitch at Somerset Cricket Club on Thursday morning.

Sixteen-year-old Jones is one of four colts the challengers included in their team this year to take on rivals St.George?s, having come in for injured fast bowler Kevin Hurdle at the 11th hour.

Hurdle pulled a hamstring during a second spell with the ball, an injury that has robbed Somerset of one of the Island?s premier strike bowlers.

Jones failed to shine with either ball or bat during Saturday?s final trial match, yet in the end the Somerset selectors still felt he would be the most suitable replacement for the injured Hurdle despite his tender years.

?When we looked at Malachi we took into consideration he was still growing and developing,? chairman of Somerset selectors Mark Trott explained. ?And at the end of the day the decision was made to give young Malachi a chance.?

The Southampton Rangers? all-rounder is the son of former Somerset Cup Match batsman Olin Jones, and only last week returned from the Sir Gary Sobers Tournament in Barbados with the Island?s Under-19 national squad.

St. George?s? Clay Smith was the last colt to debut in the classic at age 16 at Wellington Oval in 1987.

Others making the big breakthrough in Somerset?s team this year are Devonshire Recreation Club skipper Dean Stephens, Southampton opening batsman Dion Stovell and Western Stars? wicketkeeper Jekon Edness.

Stovell comes in to replace Rangers? team-mate Curtis Jackson who was dropped, Stephens has replaced retired all-rounder Wendell White, while Edness ? son of former Somerset Cup Match wicketkeeper Anthony (Porky) Manders ? was chosen as a replacement for the injured Kwame Tucker (hamstring)

Of all those bidding for a spot on Somerset?s team, Stephens impressed most during Saturday?s final trial, claiming five wickets for 38 runs and then helping himself to a well-played half century (60) to spur the President?s XI to a six-wicket win over the Vice-President?s XI.

?When you look at a performance such as that it?s hard to deny a person,? Trott said. ?But Dean has been consistent all season long for Devonshire Recreation Club. And what he achieved here today basically sums up the season he has had so far.?

Stephens will become the first Devonshire player to appear in Cup Match since Anthony Amory in the early 1990s.

Trott was also impressed by the free-scoring bat of Stovell who topped the President?s XI with 73 and added 117 runs for the third wicket with Stephens.

?Dion is another player who has been consistent for Rangers all season,? Trott said. ?He?s come up here and scored runs in our trial matches and today I guess his performance was just a reflection of his season.?

As for Edness, Trott said: ?He did a terrific job and when you look at it he is certainly one for the future.

?The colts we brought into the team were all changes that had to be made, and at the end of the day we had a lot of good players to choose from.

?We discussed a few players and at the end of the night when the final selection was made it was unanimous based on players? performances for the entire season, what they had achieved in the trial matches and even their deportment both on and off the field.?

Trott said he had every ounce of confidence the team his committee had chosen were capable of achieving a positive result, adding that playing in front of the home crowd this year could only enhance Somerset?s chances for success.

?We play to win the match whether we are the challengers or champions, that?s the way our coach Winston Reid thinks,? Trott added. ?And we have the backing of the entire Somerset community.?

Somerset coach Reid also reckoned the team chosen this year was capable of winning the cup.

?I think we have a very balanced team and a team I think can win Cup Match,? he said.

As for the four colts, he added: ?We had to go that route because we had some injuries and were forced to bring in those players.

?But whoever we chose we did so because we thought they were the best in the group.?