Lionel Cann has taunted Somerset ahead of Cup Match telling them – you would have won last year if I'd been skipper.

Cann cast doubt on Jacobi Robinson's fitness to lead his team, and said that if St. George's could pick their best 11 then their rivals wouldn't stand a chance.

Despite not playing league cricket in recent weeks, Cann has been training for Cup Match and will play in the final trial tomorrow. And even though the holders are missing a host of big names for a variety of reasons, Cann insists the next generation will still be too strong for Somerset.

"I can tell you what, if I was captain of Somerset the last couple of years they would definitely have won Cup Match," said Cann. "They have been in a position (to win), but through lack of leadership and know-how they just couldn't get over the hill."

There have been suggestions that the loss of Charlie Marshall, Glenn Blakeney, George O'Brien and Stefan Kelly make the challengers favourites this year, something Cann dismissed out of hand.

"You can't look at teams and say because we haven't got big names this is their best chance because you never know," he said. "It's who shows up on the day, for those two days. I said five years ago when I took over as captain that we would have the cup for 10 years, because obviously I saw the talent that was coming through.

"Without a doubt the East End guys have all the best talent. But then through different things players are missing, so obviously it does even things out.

"If St. George's could pick their best 11 then Somerset wouldn't stand a chance for the next 10 years. But the players that are challenging for those empty spots are just as good and on the day can produce, maybe better than the big-name players.

"Whoever shows up on those two days, whoever can execute the game plan, will win."

Cann has been training hard for the past three weeks, getting himself mentally and physically prepared for two of the hardest days of cricket that is played on the Island.

"My game's good," he said, "I've been training hard the last three weeks. Been indoor on the bowling machine, doing what you would as a national team player, getting myself fit and stuff. It's probably worked out better than playing league cricket actually.

"Physical is not even part of it, if you're not mentally ready for Cup Match you can be exposed quite easily, you know. It's hot and it's a very mental game.

"I've looked at previous tapes of myself, all the positive stuff. I've been sitting down and analysing my game and where it's at. I've looked at Somerset's team, who the bowlers are, which bowlers I am going to take on. And then on the morning of the game you look at the pitch, see how that's going to play and that's the final preparation right there for the game."

As skipper last year, the inclusion of Cann would be a big boost for youngster Oronde Bascome, who is taking charge for the first time next week. And Cann said he would be there to support his new captain.

"He'll be a bit nervous, obviously. He's 22 years old and he's captain of the biggest game in Bermuda," said Cann. "He'll be a bit nervous, and he's a bit green, but you have to start somewhere. You have to look towards the future, you can't just go on and on.

"That's why I stepped down last year because I only have a couple of years left and I want to play and be teaching somebody, and they can learn something you know. It doesn't make sense me going out of the game and leaving all the youngsters by themselves.

"If you look at St George's team it is quite a bit younger than Somerset's team, Charlie's gone and Glenn's gone this year, so now Cup Match is a different era and Oronde is the leader. He'll do well, and he'll be nervous, and he'll make mistakes, but like young Jacobi who was a captain for a couple of years and was exposed big time.

"Oronde's going to have support. The youngsters look up to him too. He's not going to get everything right, but the best in the world don't always get it right. He can only do his best job and whatever comes from that, we'll be proud of that."