Dear Sir,

Perhaps it comes many a day late and several dollars short, nevertheless may I offer some personal incompetence musings regarding Cup Match — and as this is a family publication, I will concentrate comments on the game and leave alone thoughts regarding the most revealing sex video apparently shot on location at Wellington Oval.

“If one knows oneself and knows also the enemy, one can fight 100 battles and win all 100.

If one knows oneself and does not know the enemy, one can fight 100 battles and win perhaps 50.

If one knows neither oneself nor the enemy, one can fight 100 battles and lose all 100.”

— Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

Of the aforementioned statements by the renowned Chinese philosopher, which category might St George’s’ Cup Match outfit occupy? If you answered statement No 3, go to the head of the class.

Disorganised, disinterested, disenfranchised, disgusting ... all apply to the East Enders based on a performance that can also be described as woeful. Indeed, sadly there are all too many negatives that can be attached to last week’s performance — or underperformance.

“Clueless” is another which reiterates Sun Tzu’s third statement regarding knowledge of self and powers that come against. For it was that St George’s had no idea of who they were, what they needed to do, and how to go about accomplishing the task ahead. And while they were able to achieve a modicum of success in the bowling department during the first innings, it appeared — based on the second — that this was perhaps more a result of the enemy’s carelessness than the home side’s ingenuity.

Former star wicketkeeper Dennis Wainwright alluded to the disarray in recent comment to a Royal Gazette reporter, while Somerset captain Jekon Edness talked about the need for his rivals to get it together if they are to get more than a mere visual of the trophy in the next decade.

However, while finding it difficult to fathom a decade of such incompetence, there appears no sun rising in the east and certainly none setting in the west, so to say the outlook is bleak might be a dramatic understatement.

Cases in point:

• Why go through the expense of bringing in a purported strike bowler (Stephan Kelly) to use as a first change?

• Why ostracise a key player (Rodney Trott) by offering false hope and responsibility in posting him as vice-captain one year with no apparent intention of further promoting him to the captaincy role once the latter post is vacated?

• Why install as the new vice-captain (George O’Brien) a player no one believes has the attitude and self-discipline to be captain?

• Why was there no apparent instruction on how to go about building an innings through partnerships? Oh, and did St George’s even have a batting coach and strategist?

So, just when may St George’s actually present a threat to Somerset? When they cease choosing a team of individualists and instead turn to a team of individuals, discarding the notion that talent alone will win back the cup.

Meanwhile, to the victors go the glory and praise, and there should be no shortage afforded champions Somerset, who despite a day one wobble, recovered nicely to end 34 years of futility at the East End.

Edness’s leadership and scholarship under the tutelage of coach Jeff Richardson played no small part in the affair, as every move made was effective, demonstrating intimate knowledge of their opponents and themselves. Thus it would be my choice to name the captain as MVP, with no slight given to Derrick Brangman, who if named such, I’d have no questions against.

PATRICK M. BEAN