With Cup Match just three weeks' away Somerset have sensationally dumped Dexter Basden, their skipper for the last five years, and replaced him with top batsman Albert Steede who had been the team's vice-captain. Somerset chairman Bernard Brangman last night confirmed the club's decision which he claimed was made by his committee over a week ago. On that committee with Brangman are Winston Reid, Campbell Simons and Charles Fubler, all former Cup match players. "Albert has agreed to be captain of the team this year. The decision was made well in advance of the trial match last Saturday and we are happy that Albert has agreed to lead the team,'' said Brangman. He wouldn't explain why the committee thought a change of leadership was necessary, but expressed regret that Basden found out before he was officially informed.

However, Brangman denied the change was made after Basden failed to show up for last Saturday's trial game, assuring that the decision was made before the match. "I haven't had a chance to talk to Dexter yet. I intended to talk to him at the trial game but that didn't take place because he was not there. But my understanding is that he still wants to be involved in the selection process. "I won't go into any reason why a change was made, it's an in-house thing. The only thing I regret is not having talked to Dexter before word got out. "The process took longer than I hoped because Albert needed time to think about it. Then I had to go back to my committee to let them know before I could even think about informing Dexter. It just so happens that he found out before I got to him.'' Up until last night Brangman still hadn't reached Basden, but the chairman was hoping that the former skipper would still want to be involved in this year's classic. Meanwhile, a role in a friend's wedding has ruled Corvette Lambert out of tomorrow's opening round of the Western Counties Cup, but the Somerset Bridge skipper and fast bowler insists that his deputy Denzil Dill will still lead the team to victory. Winning, however, appears a tall order for the home side against champions Southampton Rangers in a match that begins at White Hill at 11.00 a.m. The clash comes a year after Bridge were soundly beaten by nine wickets by Southampton in the 1998 final. But Lambert says that loss is behind them and the team's fine performances so far this season indicate they are in position to exact their revenge. "We've had a good season so far and I have every confidence in my team for this opener. I strongly believe that we can field a team capable of beating Rangers,'' said Lambert. It will be Dill's first time as skipper in the Counties and he too goes into the match full of confidence. "I think we will be very competitive, but in order to beat them I feel that we must score a lot of runs, something in the vicinity of 200-250 in order to make a game of it,'' said Dill. Among those who he will be counting on for runs are veteran David Jones and Brian Gibbons while the skipper himself will spearhead the bowling attack with help from Durwood Cann, Gibbons and Jones. PHOTO All change: With Cup Match just around the corner Dexter Basden (left) has been replaced by Albert Steede (right) as Somerset captain.