Cup Match holders Somerset are banking on virtually the same squad that retained the coveted trophy a year ago to win again this week, having announced just two changes to the 2002 team.

After a torrential downpour ruined the west enders' chances of completing their one and only trial match on Saturday, Somerset selectors later that night named two Western Stars' players - Jermaine Postlethwaite and Saleem Mukuddem - as the only new faces in their starting eleven.

Indeed, players from Stars make up almost half the team with captain Albert Steede also joined by Hasan Durham and Dwayne Leverock.

The remaining players retained from last year's winning side are: vice-captain Janeiro Tucker, his cousin Kwame Tucker, both from Southampton Rangers, Somerset's Wendell White and Sheridan Ming and Corey Hill and Dennis Pilgrim of Bailey's Bay.

Reserves are two of the Island's most promising youngsters, Jacobi Robinson and Stephen Outerbridge.

Captain Steede, confident his side can take home the trophy for a fifth successive year, said he was disappointed that the only scheduled trial match wasn't completed but believed the strongest possible team was still selected.

"I think we've got a very strong side with a lot of depth in the batting and numerous bowling options," said Steede, who will be skippering the team for the fifth time.

Saturday's trial between a President's XI and a Vice-President's XI gave the selectors little more information than they already had after rain caused abandonment early into the vice-president team's innings.

Earlier, Steede had led by example as, opening the innings, he cracked top score of 63 in a first wicket stand of 78 with Sheridan Ming (29).

Steede's side amassed a total of 260 in 43 overs with Kwame Tucker and Mukuddem also impressing with the bat.

Tucker made 45 and Mukuddem 46, although Tucker, in particular, benefited from some rather indisciplined bowling.

Jacobi Robinson, perhaps trying too hard to impress, endured a dreadful day with the ball as he conceded 110 runs in his 20 overs, taking two wickets along the way.

Durham, although punished early on by a rampant Steede, came back strongly in his second spell to finish with figures of three for 41 off 11 overs.

The only other wicket-takers were D.Norris (one for 21) and Malachi Jones (one for four).

Chasing that total, the vice-president's team were led by opener Postlethwaite who curbed his usual attacking instincts to compile a patient, unbeaten half-century.

But having reached exactly 50, his hopes of building on that score were thwarted by Mother Nature as well as a gap between the covers which left the track unfit for play.

The side's only other batsmen to see action were Curtis Jackson, who was superbly caught and bowled by Mukuddem for 10 and Dwight Basden (5 not out).