Buoyant Somerset skipper Jacobi Robinson reckons his team have the ammunition in their bowling arsenal to snatch 20 wickets and strip rivals St.George's of the coveted Cup Match trophy in their own back yard this year.

The challengers have pinned their hopes on dismantling a tall St.George's batting order on four spinners and three seamers with skipper Robinson set to lead from the front by sharing the new ball with fellow all-rounder Malachi Jones.

"We have four spinners and three medium pacers who can all do the job. I just have to juggle my bowlers accordingly and hopefully everything will work out in the end for us," Robinson told The Royal Gazette. "As captain and opening bowler the onus is on me to set the tone from ball one. And as captain I have to make sure my fields are set properly so that we can keep the pressure on St. George's.

"We have to target their four big guns (Clay Smith, Charlie Marshall, Glenn Blakeney and Lionel Cann) and take it to them and not back down. We have to come up with a plan and then stick to it. And as long as we can stick to our plan then we'll be victorious."

One ploy Somerset are relying upon is applying early pressure on the champions to try and force them on the back foot.

"We are looking to take it to St.George's and attack them for the whole two days and that's the only way we can win because they are not going to give anything to us – we have to go at them," Robinson said.

Somerset have left no stone unturned in their quest to avenge back-to-back defeats in 2005 and 2006 and on paper have assembled a squad that appears well rounded.

"We have worked hard on the pitch, worked hard on various strategies and Ifeel we have a very strong bowling team capable of taking 20 wickets in Cup Match," Robinson said. "I feel we have a solid, young and fit all-round team who have worked hard in the lead-up to Cup Match and I feel we can contend this year and bring the trophy back up west."

In order for the challengers to achieve their objective they will also have to fire on all cylinders at the crease with colt Chris Douglas and recall Dion Stovell set to take first strike and face the new ball.

"I feel that's the best combination we have because Dion is explosive while Chris has controlled aggression. Chris takes his time and has different gears. He knows when to take his time and when to open up – and that's what makes him so special," Robinson said

Somerset also have some heavy hitters of the ball in their camp such as Mr. Cup Match himself, Janeiro Tucker, who is closing in on another milestone in the classic.

Tucker currently holds the record for the highest individual score (186) and needs only 40 more runs to become the first Somerset batsman – and fourth overall – to score 1,000 runs in the classic. The last time St.George's visited Somerset two years ago the trip proved well worthwhile as Lionel Cann's team romped to a seven-wicket win – the champions first win in the West End in over a decade.

Noel Gibbons, the St. George's coach, hopes his team will be able to pick up where they left off when they return to Cricket Lane.

"I feel very confident with the team that we have selected. I think we have picked a really good balanced team and come Friday evening St.George's fans will be the ones smiling," the 1982 Cup Match MVP said. Like their rivals, St.George's also have depth in their batting and plenty of bowling options with left-arm seamer Gregg Foggo returning to the East Enders' line-up after a two year hiatus. Foggo will share new ball duties with fellow seamer Ryan Steede who enjoyed a playing stint with coach Gibbons in England at Atherton Cricket Club.

The champions have also pinned their hopes on spinners Delyone Borden and 15-year old colt Tre Govia who now joins coach Gibbons as the youngest player to debut in Cup Match.

Gibbons says he has the world of confidence in the promising young leg spinner, in spite of his still tender years.

"Tre has already been exposed to playing against some of the best players on the Island and so I think he will be okay," he said. "Obviously he may have some early morning jitters, which is expected from any colt. But he will be all right."

Gibbons is also confident his batsmen will have little difficulty getting on top of the challengers' bowling attack.

"Cricket is played on the field whereby anything can happen on the day. But from a coach's perspective, I don't think Somerset have the bowlers to bowl St.George's out twice," he reasoned. "Somerset do, however, have bowlers in their team that can probably change the game around like Jacobi, who is a bowler I have admired over the years. If you get Jacobi on a good day he can be a handful."

Gibbons also isn't worried too much about Somerset's four-pronged spin attack, consisting of veteran Hassan Durham, Dion Stovell, colt Douglas and Del Hollis.

"We are not concerned about their spinners because we have quality batsmen in our team," he said. "I'm pretty certain we have batsmen in our team that can cope with spin."