than the Somerset selectors had anticipated.

Skipper Andre Manders confessed that the talented opening batsman did make things tough for them by hammering 94 -- the top score in both of the Cup Match trials -- and in so doing proved there should be no doubt about his fitness following a hamstring injury.

"Olin made a lot of runs and simply made it difficult for us,'' confided Manders. The skipper said that Jones, together with Jeff Richardson (76 not out) and Ricky Hill (59 not out), had persuaded the selectors to include him at the expense of a bowler.

Before the final trial, the consensus in the Somerset camp had been to take Hill because of reservations about Jones' fitness.

Also against Jones was the fact that he wasn't experiencing a terribly good season with the bat. But weighing heavily in his favour was the fact that he has constantly been productive in Cup Match. He topped Somerset's batting last year with 64 in their second innings, and he is also a fine fielder and a capable spin bowler.

Omitting Jones would have made things simple with Hill joining vice-captain Dexter Basden to open the innings while the two positions left vacant by the absence of fast bowler Kyle Lightbourne and spinner Bruce Perinchief could probably have led to at least one specialist bowler being added.

"After taking the three -- Jones, Hill and Richardson -- it was hard to make a decision on a bowler,'' said Manders.

Meanwhile, Jones, the player who caused most headaches for the selectors, appeared to have enjoyed the challenge. He felt there was no added burden on his shoulders and turned in an impressive 11th hour performance.

"Competition was keen right to the end, but I knew I could stand up to the challenge of producing when it counted,'' he said.

While admitting that his injury had kept him out of several matches prior to the final trial, Jones said he felt close to a full recovery and expected to be fit for the two-day classic.

"I felt pretty good out there batting, there was no discomfort at all. I knew I had to make a few runs and I concentrated on my batting and nothing else,'' he said.

Jones isn't bothered about losing his spot as an opener with skipper Manders opting for Basden and Hill. "It doesn't matter to me where I bat, it will be no problem coming in at number four,'' he said.

FIT FOR ACTION -- Olin Jones is seen stretching while fielding on Saturday, shortly after hammering 94 to erase doubts about his fitness.