Challengers Warwick aren’t likely to come away with the Western Counties Cup at the end of the day at Southampton Oval, but they would certainly win an award for fielding the youngest team in Counties history.The First Divison side have named a young side for today’s Counties final, so young that half of the team is under the age of 17, with five of them making their first appearance in the competition. Captain Daniel Morgan, Garry Williams, Dwayne Adams and guest player Jordan DeSilva provide the experience while the rest are still learning how to be good cricketers.However, it is a gamble worth taking says player-coach Lionel Cann who expects the club to start reaping the rewards of their youth programme in the next three or four years. Cann has scored the bulk of the team’s runs in the league this season (332) but he is ineligible to play in the counties. A year ago, with three guest players from Somerset — DeSilva, Jacobi Robinson and Shaquille Jones — Warwick almost pulled off a sensational upset against then champions PHC. Set a target of 307, Warwick replied with 291-8 from their 50 overs, losing by 16 runs.With no expectations of a win, the Warwick youngsters will be encouraged to go out and enjoy the occasion. “From the beginning of the season my thing was to expose these youngsters to higher competition so that they know what they’re up against,” said Cann, who began coaching the team this season.“I have stuck to that policy all season and it carries on to County Cup for this year. Nobody gives us a chance but that’s not what it is all about, to me it’s a long-term process and I want them to get the feeling of what it is to play in a big game, to show the determination to do something positive and not be overwhelmed by the situation.”Added Cann: “It’s probably the happiest time I’ve ever had in cricket, to be able to give something back to the youngsters in my twilight years. They are very responsive, they are keen and are training and no other team I’ve been around ever had 25 guys training win, lose or draw.“I’ve never been so happy and the future looks bright at Warwick. In three or four years they’ll be doing well. We have already superseded what we wanted to do. We said we wanted to get one or two wins and we have done that and made the semi-finals of the knockout trophy, so we are way ahead. Warwick’s programme has been revitalised this year.”Willow Cuts veteran Dexter Basden is already aware he will be in the company of opponents 30 years his junior. But the former Willow Cuts and Somerset Cup Match captain applauds Warwick’s bold move to put their youngsters on the big stage.“You’ve got to start somewhere, a few years back we went into a Western Counties game and had maybe four of them who were not even 16,” said Basden, 46, who coaches Cuts’ under-11, under-14 and senior teams.“It’s good for them to get the good exposure because being in the First Division they don’t get the opportunity to play against the Premier guys every week. I always look at it as a gentleman’s game so whether you have 12-year-olds I still look at it as just another game. I don’t look at them as lesser than us. I’m glad Lionel is taking that step because we did it several years ago.”Basden admits he is coming to the end of his career but still enjoys being on the field and showing the youngsters the way. “I coach these guys during the week and ask them to do certain things, but if they don’t pick it up in training then it’s nice for them to see me doing it on the field. Most of the time these guys need direction on the field, that’s why I’m still knocking around here and there. But trust me, it won’t be long!”Today’s match starts at 11am.Warwick team: Daniel Morgan (capt), Garry Williams, Dwayne Adams, Shonari Boyles-Simons (colt), Kyle Swan, Cameron Gordon (colt), Rickai Edwards (colt), Koshon Durrant (colt), Jordan DeSilva, Domeiko James (colt), Ben James.