With a year under his belt as captain, Macai Simmons, of St George’s, is a lot more confident going into the 117th Cup Match, which starts tomorrow.

Simmons took over the captaincy last year in only his third Cup Match and gained invaluable experience as St George’s held on for a draw, thanks to the nous of Lionel Cann and Rodney Trott.

Neither Cann nor Trott are playing this year, leaving the East Enders to rely on plenty of new faces as they attempt to regain the trophy they lost in 2012 with a ten-wicket defeat.

Somerset have been the dominant team since, with a total of 37 wins to 32 by St George’s. There have been 47 draws.

“I just think it was time for a new look towards rebuilding for the future, but I think our team is good enough to win,” Simmons said.

“We’re going to bring it to Somerset because we have to. We don’t have the cup, so we have to bring it.

“I feel like I’m a little more comfortable now, but it is definitely a big task. There is definitely pressure that comes with it, but for the most part I feel more comfortable this year than last year because I didn’t know what I was in for. Now I have a better perspective of the whole situation.”

The St George’s league team, from which seven players are in the Cup Match side, had a couple of successful trips to Somerset this year, beating them in the league and then reclaiming the Colts Cup Match trophy last weekend in an exciting match. However, Cup Match is an entirely differentl ballgame.

“We’ve won at that field all year and I feel we just have to carry it on,” said Simmons, hoping to build on what the Colts Cup Match team achieved. “My team just has to stand up and bat, in fact have a good all-round game. Once we click with each other, I feel things will happen.

“I have a tough group of guys with me. I have a few senior batsmen like Mishael Paynter, Allan Douglas, Oronde Bascome and Treadwell Gibbons, and I just need the whole team to step up and play a responsible role.”

St George’s are well stocked in the bowling department, where two from Zeko Burgess and colts Chare Smith and Charles Trott will share the new ball. The captain himself, along with Onias Bascome, Detroy Smith, Gibbons and spinner Douglas are all capable with the ball.

“I can pretty much throw the ball to anybody,” Simmons said. “If something isn’t working, I can give it to somebody else.

“I just feel we have to be accountable for ourselves and whatever Lionel has left behind we have to carry on. Once we take responsbility for our own game, we’ll reap the rewards.

“We’ve definitely put in the work, we’ve trained hard and I think we’re ready for Thursday and Friday. I’m definitely confident about it.”

•Emmerson Carrington and Melvin Best have been confirmed as the umpires for the match, with Oscar Andrade the third official and Steven Douglas the match referee.