Alfred Maybury, the Somerset Cricket Club president, has defended the appointment of Jordan DeSilva as the club’s Cup Match captain this year.

DeSilva made history after becoming the first white player to be appointed captain of a Cup Match team.

It is understood that his pedigree as a leader has come into question, while his appointment is said to have ruffled feathers in the camp.

When asked about the matter, Maybury insisted that he was unaware of any opposition towards DeSilva.

“I haven’t heard anything negative so I am not going to entertain this,” he said. “We are not going into all this nonsense and making a controversy that’s not there.

“He [DeSilva] was appointed as captain months ago and now all of a sudden people think this! As far as I am concerned this is a non-issue, it’s not even a storm in a tea cup.”

DeSilva has replaced Jekon Edness as Somerset’s captain after he stood down following last year’s eight-wicket win at Wellington Oval — their first win in the East End for 34 years.

Maybury insisted that DeSilva is the right man for the job and gave his new captain his firm backing.

“We chose a captain because we felt the captain had the qualities we felt were necessary and that’s it,” Maybury said. “We have far more important things that are crucial happening to talk about hearsay, and no one has said anything to me, so as far as I am concerned nothing is happening.”

It is believed that some Somerset players are among those who have raised concerns over DeSilva’s appointment. Maybury has urged any player with any concerns to take advantage of his open-door policy.

“The one thing that any player at Somerset knows is if they have anything they want to talk to this president about they know they can come and say it, and I don’t hold grudges or gripes or anything like that,” he said.

“They can say whatever they need to tell me and we can have a conversation. I may not agree with them, but I will listen.

“That’s why we have the kind of team we have because we listen and those players know that.”

DeSilva played for Warwick Workmen’s Club as a guest player in their Western Counties defeat to Willow Cuts last weekend. He top scored for Warwick with 37.