The general consensus is St. George's lost Cup Match through a lack of proper application in the batting...while Somerset wanted to win more.

And while Louis (Red) DeSilva, president of the east end club, refuses to point accusing fingers publicly, there are bound to be some questions asked as to how a team with supposedly so much batting depth could be dismissed cheaply in both innings.

"I thought Somerset really went out there to try to win the trophy this year, they put their backs into it and came out victorious,'' said DeSilva moments after Somerset impressive six-wicket win on Friday.

"I'm not faulting anybody, not pointing my finger at anybody. I just want to thank my team for the effort they put in, they fought to the end. I want to congratulate Somerset, I thought they did an excellent job.

"I don't think it was wanted more by Somerset, I just think on the given day they put more effort into it. Our batting failed miserably and theirs was successful.'' St. George's only managed 151 in their second innings after starting with a deficit of 46, with Mark Ray leading the fight almost singlehandedly with a defiant knock of 62 not out. Otherwise too many front line batsmen got out to poor shots, as was also the case in the first innings.

"I really thought we were in with a chance, at 40 runs behind,'' said DeSilva.

"I felt if we could go out there and score 250 runs that we would be in it, and by the way that Herbie (Bascome) and Gregg (Foggo) bowled it proved that we would have been in it. But we had some real silly run outs.'' DeSilva had praise for the Somerset committee for hosting an exciting two days of cricket, which began with the releasing of 75 white doves at the start of the match. Gregory (Brutus) Foggo, who was a losing captain for St. George's in 1979, watched as his son-in-law, Bascome, also suffered the same fate.

"We lost the game on our batting,'' said Foggo bluntly.

"The key out for St. George's was Dean Minors in the first innings. I thought he was in a good position but just lost concentration.

"Most of our wickets weren't to good bowling but to bad strokes by the batsmen.'' Things started to go wrong again for St. George's early in the second innings when opener Dexter Smith went in the sixth over. Before lunch they lost five more wickets as Somerset kept on the pressure with fielders always around the bat.

"The guys were intimidated by the guys around them instead of playing their strokes,'' Foggo felt.

Continued on page 30 `Steede kept pressure on' Continued from page 27 "Albert Steede kept the pressure and when the guys starting to hit he just kept the guys there and kept the pressure on. I think you'll see the same thing we did last time, we'll come right back. There will be a result in St.

George's,'' added Foggo.

Winston (Coe) Trott, who claimed five for 25 as St. George's were dismissed for just 73 in their second innings in 1979 which gave Somerset their first victory in 20 years, thought the champions made bad choices with their selections.

"I didn't think it was going to be that easy for Somerset, but when I looked at the St. George's team it wasn't put together with the real intent of having a long batting lineup and good bowling lineup,'' said the former left-arm pacer who was surprised at the omission of Clevie Wade.

"I was happy to see Arnold (Manders) go out on his own terms but then I was disappointed to see them drop Clevie,'' said Trott.

"When a person has given you 20 years it's not necessary to drop them, you can just let them know their services is no longer required. The reason he came back last year is because they must have told him they needed him.'' Somerset, even with captain Albert Steede failing with the bat twice, proved too strong for their opponents as Wendell White stepped up with a brilliant 93 in the first innings.

"Somerset's performance was good enough to win, but St. George's made it easy,'' Trott believes.

"Somerset's team has weaknesses in it, but if you work hard and try not to make as many mistakes you will become a better team for it.'' Somerset's victory this year will certainly set the stage for another exciting match next year when they travel to St. George's for the 100th match. The last time Somerset won the cup, 1996, they lost it the following year as Clay Smith redeemed himself with a victory at home.

"Both teams played their hearts out and wanted to win and even though Somerset only had to get 100 runs St. George's still bowled well,'' said former Somerset captain Andre Manders.

"They got two quick wickets, put pressure on each Somerset batsman and that's good for cricket.

"I think Somerset had a better allround team. I was surprised St. George's dropped Clevie and a couple of the bowlers, especially Clevie for his experience.'' Added Manders: "Beaver batted well both days and most of the other St.

George's batsmen were throwing their wickets away.

"That's the first time Albert hasn't made runs in Cup Match and St. George's still didn't win, which is kind of strange. It goes to show that other players in Somerset's team are starting to make runs, like Janeiro, Dexter Basden, Wendell White.'' `Steede kept pressure on' ed from page 27 "Albert Steede kept the pressure and when the guys starting to hit he just kept the guys there and kept the pressure on. I think you'll see the same thing we did last time, we'll come right back. There will be a result in St.

George's,'' added Foggo.

Winston (Coe) Trott, who claimed five for 25 as St. George's were dismissed for just 73 in their second innings in 1979 which gave Somerset their first victory in 20 years, thought the champions made bad choices with their selections.

"I didn't think it was going to be that easy for Somerset, but when I looked at the St. George's team it wasn't put together with the real intent of having a long batting lineup and good bowling lineup,'' said the former left-arm pacer who was surprised at the omission of Clevie Wade.

"I was happy to see Arnold (Manders) go out on his own terms but then I was disappointed to see them drop Clevie,'' said Trott.

"When a person has given you 20 years it's not necessary to drop them, you can just let them know their services is no longer required. The reason he came back last year is because they must have told him they needed him.'' Somerset, even with captain Albert Steede failing with the bat twice, proved too strong for their opponents as Wendell White stepped up with a brilliant 93 in the first innings.

"Somerset's performance was good enough to win, but St. George's made it easy,'' Trott believes.

"Somerset's team has weaknesses in it, but if you work hard and try not to make as many mistakes you will become a better team for it.'' Somerset's victory this year will certainly set the stage for another exciting match next year when they travel to St. George's for the 100th match. The last time Somerset won the cup, 1996, they lost it the following year as Clay Smith redeemed himself with a victory at home.

"Both teams played their hearts out and wanted to win and even though Somerset only had to get 100 runs St. George's still bowled well,'' said former Somerset captain Andre Manders.

"They got two quick wickets, put pressure on each Somerset batsman and that's good for cricket.

"I think Somerset had a better allround team. I was surprised St. George's dropped Clevie and a couple of the bowlers, especially Clevie for his experience.'' Added Manders: "Beaver batted well both days and most of the other St.

George's batsmen were throwing their wickets away.

"That's the first time Albert hasn't made runs in Cup Match and St. George's still didn't win, which is kind of strange. It goes to show that other players in Somerset's team are starting to make runs, like Janeiro, Dexter Basden, Wendell White.'' Tense battle: St. George's opening batsman Eugene Foggo hits the ball past the Somerset close fielders during Cup Match.

Run maker: Janeiro Tucker salutes his first-innings half century for Somerset in Cup Match. He went on to make 60.