Lionel Cann, the Warwick player-coach, is hoping to find some vulnerability in the Southampton Rangers team when they meet the defending champions in the first round of the Western Counties tomorrow at Southampton Oval.

And Jordan DeSilva, the Warwick guest player could be a key man to exploit any weaknesses, having played a significant role when his team, Somerset, inflicted a five-wicket defeat on Rangers a month ago.

Warwick are expected to name DeSilva and Allan Douglas as their guest players when they announce their team this evening, and while Cann accepts his team will be the underdogs, he believes anything can happen if they dismiss the likes of Dion Stovell and Janeiro Tucker cheaply.

“I’m sure we’re the major underdogs but Rangers have been defeated a couple of times this year; they didn’t win the Belco Cup and aren’t riding too much on a high,” Cann said. ‘This is a trophy they are going to have to defend.

“We have a couple of guest players coming in, Allan and Jordan, who did well against them before when he was playing for Somerset, so he’ll know what he’s up against.”

Both teams suffered defeats last weekend, Rangers going down by just three runs in a nail-biter with Willow Cuts while Warwick lost by three wickets to First Division leaders Somerset Bridge.

Warwick will be led by Jade Darrell, the captain and wicketkeeper, who played for St George’s in their first trial match last weekend, sharing in a 110-run partnership for the sixth wicket with century- maker Shannon Raynor.

“They didn’t pick him, what happened was we were short so I called him,” Cann said.

“He’s keen and has even joined the training squad for the national squad after I put his name forward to Arnold. He’s having a good season.”

Warwick are fielding several teenagers, all part of Cann’s five-year rebuilding plan at Warwick. He is now in his third year and happy with the progress the team is making.

“In our bowling we have young Dejon Benjamin and San’j Dill who have had five-wicket hauls this year and young Cameron Jeffers is probably the best young spinner you’re going to see for a long time; a leg spinner like Shane Warne and only 13,” said Cann. “He’s going to make his debut this year, so these are very exciting times.

“There are a lot of positives with our young team and we want to go and challenge Rangers. We know they could be vulnerable and rely heavily on Janeiro and Dion and you see what happens when they don’t get any runs. No one is expecting us to win but we have players who are used to winning like Jordan, who has played Cup Match and for Bermuda and Allan Douglas, who plays Cup Match and for Bermuda.

“The main thing at Warwick is we want to continue our long-term plan and do the right thing of competing in every match which we’ve done this year and that the guys are growing.”

Added Cann: “Last weekend we lost, scoring 144 and they got 147 for seven. We have 13 to 18-year-olds and last year I think the Bermuda Cricket Board erred by making it one league which we knew was going to be a disaster. Now we’ve reverted to two leagues but the players lost a year.

“Now they seem to be settling down and learning. This is my third year of a five-year plan and we’re very happy where we are.

“It would be very nice to pull off an upset, or at least do well against Rangers, but nobody expects us to win.”

Cann admits that playing alongside the youngsters has prolonged his own career. “I’m nearing the end, but enjoy coaching the youngsters at Warwick and if I wasn’t coaching the youngsters there I probably would be retiring this year or next year,” said Cann, who is even doing some bowling this season.

“We were short of a couple of bowlers. One thing I don’t like to do is when we are coming to the end of a game is to let a youngster take the ball where he might feel he lost the game. If I know the game is going to be lost I would rather bowl myself, because I can handle it.”