St George’s changed almost half the team that suffered an innings defeat by Somerset last year.

Chare Smith, Detroy Smith and Charles Trott, all colts in 2018, were dropped, along with former captain Oronde Bascome. Mishael Paynter, the club vice-president, had ruled himself out of contention from the start of the season.

This time the challengers have gone with only one colt in Mackih McGowan, the Cleveland fast bowler, who impressed mightily during the three trial games this year.

But there is no place for George O’Brien, the veteran seam bowler, whose season was disrupted by a falling-out with his club side, St David’s, which has restricted him to national squad and Cup Match trial since early June.

O’Brien’s club team-mates OJ Pitcher and Justin Pitcher, and Rodney Trott, of Bailey’s Bay, were recalled along with Lionel Cann, whose reappointment as captain was confirmed four weeks ago.

Cann’s predecessor, Macai Simmons, who sensationally left for St David’s on the eve of the season, surprisingly retained his place.

In the trial match, which started after lunch because of heavy rain throughout the morning, the Vice-President’s team defeated the President’s team by five wickets, having dismissed them for 130.

Opener Nzari Paynter and OJ Pitcher led the run chase with 36 runs each, Paynter facing 76 balls and hitting six fours, while Pitcher was not out, facing 47 balls and also hitting six fours.

Coolidge Durham, of Bailey’s Bay, missed his opportunity when he fell for a nine-ball duck, leg-before to Kyle Hodsoll, who played having recovered from a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the Eastern Counties first round the previous week.

Hodsoll, took one for 12 in a solitary six-over spell.

Under-pressure Oronde Bascome lost his spot after scoring just seven from 28 balls.

OJ Pitcher, a former captain, makes a return to the team after two years and is one of four players recalled, coming in with Justin Pitcher, who had a good spell with the new ball for the Vice-President’s team, taking three for ten from five overs, including three frontline batsmen, Rodney Trott, Q’Shai Darrell and Temiko Wilson, who each failed to reach double figures, as the President’s team slumped to 24 for three after 6.2 overs on a lively surface.

Treadwell Gibbons, who opened with Trott, was high man with 29 from 41 balls, while Macai Simmons scored 24 along with Amori Ebbin.

Chare Smith failed to take a wicket in his seven overs, giving up 42 runs, while Zeko Burgess took three for 17 and Oyinde Bascome and Allan Douglas two wickets apiece late in the innings.

No President’s team bowlers took more than one wicket, with O’Brien bowling ten overs for 28 runs and McGowan took one for 32 from six.