Somerset Cricket Club?s newly-appointed chairman of selectors, Mark Trott, might have pulled off the season?s biggest coup by luring Bailey?s Bay all-rounder Rodney (Picnic) Trott from St.George?s up west for Cup Match trials.

Teenager Trott and St.George?s? opening batsman Oronde Bascome were both heavily tipped to make their debuts in this summer?s Cup Match classic for the champions at Somerset.

Trott, who recently recovered from a knee injury, has represented St.George?s in the Colts? Cup Match and unsuccessfully tried out at the senior level in the past.

However, he now joins the likes of Charlie Marshall, Jeff Richardson, Keith Wainwright and Albert Steede as players who underwent trials at both ends of the Island.

Former Bailey?s Bay, Devonshire and Somerset Cup Match all-rounder Mark Trott succeeded Anthony Bailey last November as chairman of Cup Match selectors at Somerset.

The full selection committee is comprised of former Somerset Cup Match veterans Perry Maybury, Kevin Saunders, Winston Reid (coach) and current skipper Janeiro Tucker.

?I have a very experienced selection committee and a team of people who have played the game and have made it a point to get out there and observe a number of cricketers play,? Trott told

Somerset, who were stripped of the coveted cup last summer at Wellington Oval, held the first of three Cup Match trials at Somerset Cricket Club on Monday.

Led by a whirlwind unbeaten 121 from Azeem Pitcher and a six-wicket haul by Rodney Trott, Somerset defeated a Western Counties XI by 35 runs.

Dion Stovell (71) and Ryan Shepperd (81) produced solid knocks for the Western Counties XI, while Belco Cup final man-of-the-match Malachi Jones claimed four wickets for 83 runs.

Trott, meanwhile, laid to rest yesterday mounting speculation the challengers would be cleaning house and starting from scratch with new blood this year.

?I don?t always subscribe to the view that we have to start from scratch because we have a solid nucleus of players that have already played in Cup Match, and what we, the selectors, have decided to do is not to leave any stone unturned,? he said.

?We are going to look at every player that is available to us from last year and every player that has a legitimate and realistic chance this year.?

Among those vying for a spot in the challengers? team are youngsters Stephen Bremar jr, Dion Stovell, Trott, Jones, Dennis Musson jr along with seasoned players Dean Stephens, Dwight Basden, Sammy Robinson and Reid Jones.

?We have a very strong group of young players with real potential,? Trott added. ?And some of these youngsters are really doing well at the moment, some of whom did not even play in the last trial match.

?But I can assure you that none of our veteran Cup Match players are going to just lay down and give up their positions. I know that for a fact and so it should be very interesting.?

Somerset will hold their second Cup Match trial match on Saturday, June 24 and their final trial on Saturday, July 29.

As for the new post at Somerset Cricket Club, Trott stated: ?I?m really enjoying it. This is a job where you can?t take anything for granted and make sure all your I?s are dotted and T?s are crossed.

?We have a very good team and Winston (Reid) is a great coach and the support I have received from the executive office and other management committee members has been first class.?