Vashun Blanchette has taken over the hot seat at Somerset following the resignation of Alfred Maybury as president, but he has no doubts the coveted Cup Match cup will remain in the West End in three weeks time.

The build-up to the island’s biggest sporting event was launched yesterday when lead sponsor HSBC welcomed club presidents Blanchette and Neil Paynter, of St George’s, to the Harbourview branch to meet chief executive Mark Watkinson.

Blanchette says he is starting to feel the excitement growing in anticipation of the annual two-day match.

“I just mentioned to president Paynter earlier that now I’m starting to feel the buzz,” he said. “I’m humble but also pretty assured that Somerset will retain our coveted prized possession, and if there’s no rain we look to get an outright victory.

“We have what I feel to be a very competent selection committee, they’ve been getting it right over the last few years and I’m quietly optimistic that they will continue to make the right decisions.

“I’m not going to be a president who interferes in team selection, my one mandate is that we don’t lose the cup!”

Paynter also praised HSBC for their continued support of Cup Match and is looking forward to an exciting match on August 2 and 3.

“I appreciate HSBC being on board for 12 years,” he said. “I’m very confident Somerset will be great hosts and put on a great event, as they’ve done every other year. We will have a young team, probably with some changes made, but I think it is a team that is going to challenge Somerset and be a team for the future.”

While Blanchette marks his first year as president, he does have some administrative experience having served as Maybury’s vice-president for a few years, Paynter is one of his club’s longest-serving presidents with 16 years under his belt after being voted in February 2002 when still in his early 30s.

“I had some appreciation of what it would involve, to give it some context I returned home from school in 2008 and joined the management committee in November or December 2008,” Blanchette said.

“Following that I became vice-president under Mr Maybury, so I’ve been in and around SCC in an administrative level for nearly ten years now. Mr Maybury was president for seven years and I was his vice-president for three or four years.”

Such is the work required that Blanchette will be on vacation from his job at the Bermuda Monetary Authority until after Cup Match. Paynter has the luxury of having the summer off as a schoolteacher.

“Yes, it is a lot of work, it’s the biggest event over two days and we get, accumulatively, in excess of 15,000 people [at the ground],” Blanchette said. “Sometimes, depending on the way the match is going, it can swell up to 18,000 or 20,000.”

Like Paynter, Blanchette is a former footballer for his club club and both play for their club’s Masters team.

“I just felt this was a natural progression, I’ve been around Somerset Cricket Club since I was a Pee Wee footballer, always had a strong infinity to the club and becoming president just felt like it was right,” said Blanchette, who turns 33 next month. “I’m enjoying my Saturdays now playing for the Extros.

“The scaffolding started in May and they just did the parking lot section, which is the last section because obviously you still need access in and out of the ground. Over the next couple of weeks they’ll start putting the plywood down and tarpaulin on top.”

Paynter and his committee won’t have that stress this year but planning for next year will begin in the coming months.

“When I became president I didn’t think I would be president but being here almost 17 years, it is all fate,” said Paynter who took over while he was in his early thirties.

“I’ve enjoyed it, it has had its ups and down. My advice to Vashun would be whatever decisions you make just do it for the right reasons. And it is good to have a good team around you.

“If you have a good team and they are willing to work with you and not against you, then I think he’ll be successful. When I first came in Colin ‘Jelly’ Smith was the Somerset president, may he rest in peace. After that there was Richard Scott and then Mr Maybury.”

The pre-match activities include the Cup Match motorcade on July 27 in Hamilton, when the club flags are distributed, as well as the HSBC Cup Match promotional items, live entertainment and free snow cone giveaways at the bank’s branches, St George’s (July 30), Somerset (July 31) and the Harbourview, Church Street and Compass Point branches on August 1 from noon to 2pm.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with Somerset Cricket Clubs’s new president Vashun Blanchette and St George’s Cricket Club president, Neil Paynter, as they prepare for what will undoubtedly be another memorable two days of cricket,” Watkinson said.

“This is the 12th year that we’ve been lead sponsor for Cup Match, to us one of our most exciting community events,” Watkinson said.

“Our employees are extremely proud of the bank’s association with this event and are busy gearing up for a number of community focused activities in both the lead-up to and during the two days of Cup Match.

“I’d like to say a few words of thanks to my team who have done a wonderful job working with Somerset this year. I hope everybody has a fantastic Cup Match, I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure both teams are really looking forward to getting out on the pitch.”

Watkinson admits to having a “bias” towards the challengers St George’s.

“As far as cricket is concerned I remain somewhat biased, living in the east of the island and a St George’s fan. The last couple of years have been described as a little disappointing, but I’m sure Neil is going to guarantee me success this year.”

n HSBC is partnering with T & T Video Productions to bring the event live on television and with live internet streaming on www.bermudacupmatch.com. HSBC is also supporting live radio coverage on Hott 107.5 and the Bermuda Broadcasting Company’s stations.