St. George's' Cup Match selection committee face the crunch tonight.

With several changes expected to be made to the challengers' team from last year, the task of selecting the strongest possible eleven for the 100th anniversary of the classic could very well take several hours.

"With the changes that we have to make and with all the guys that are available for the positions, I don't think that our job is going to be easy," said St. George's' Cup Match committee chairman Gladwin Paynter.

"I don't think that any one selector can say that he has the eleven guys that are finally going to be chosen, because we have a definite three positions to fill and if we wish to get that cup away from Somerset then we will need to bowl them out twice."

With spinners David Adams and Eugene Foggo, pacer Dale Fox and wicketkeepers Dean Minors, Chris Foggo, Sinclair Gibbons and Jason Anderson all unavailable for varying reasons, Paynter and other members will have their plate full once today's final trial match at Wellington Oval is over.

But it remains highly improbable that St. George's will be as bold as they were a year ago when they made seven changes to their team.

If they are to make a serious challenge, then they will have to bowl out the champions twice, and with this in mind much emphasis should be placed on the attack where the responsibility of making the early breakthrough could fall on the shoulders of either Herbie Bascome, Gregg Foggo, young Delyone Borden, Mackie Crane, George O'Brien Jr or even veteran Gary Brangman.

Club player Travis Smith or Peter Philpott could also get the nod to provide spin duties, while Lionel Cann, Mark Ray or the versatile Clay Smith could be considered as the challengers' second line of attack bowlers.

Behind the stumps, young Freddie Hall Jr should get the call in the absence of Anderson, Chris Foggo and Minors.

This move would allow the explosive Glenn Blakeney, who has carried the wicketkeeping duties at club team St. David's all season, to concentrate solely on his batting.

OJ Pitcher is back as promised for the final trial to try to regain the spot he relinquished last year due to injury.

Pitcher's Pyrford team-mate Chris Foggo remains in England, while veteran opening bat Dexter Smith, also in England, seems to have finally called it quits.

In the batting department, St. George's already possess sufficient depth in Blakeney, Ray, Phillip Pitcher, Clay Smith, veteran Charlie Marshall and OJ Pitcher, with Cann, Bascome, Brangman and Gregg Foggo all more than capable of providing the fireworks from the rear should the need for quick runs arise.

The challengers' batting could be further bolstered by the inclusion of young bats Loren Marshall, Hall, all-rounder Borden or Philpott.

Marshall is again expected to lead the east enders on their quest to regain the trophy they lost in 2000.

Somerset, meanwhile, have only to fill the void left by the injured Richard Basden, though it is rumoured that Irving Romaine is currently standing on shaky ground.

Last weekend, Irving was absent during the west enders' first trial match and sources close to the club have hinted that the Bailey's Bay stalwart may get the chop.

It is also understood that Sheridan (Baldy) Ming and Dennis Pilgrim's chances are looking good.

Among those strongly expected to regain their places, captain Albert Steede is entering the 100th anniversary in top form.

Last weekend the Somerset skipper etched his name into the Eastern Counties record book as the first batsman to have scored four centuries in the popular competition. He is also the third highest run getter in Cup Match.

All-rounder Wendell White has also enjoyed good form lately, along with the club's premier spinners Hasan Durham and Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock.

Janeiro Tucker, meanwhile, is still waiting to erupt with the bat, while cousin Kwame should again be given the wicketkeeping duties.

Curtis Jackson, Dexter Basden and Corey Hill are all expected to regain their places in the champions' team after today's final trial match at the club.

Both trial matches begin at 10 a.m.