Champions St.George?s will stage their first Cup Match trial match at Wellington Oval this Saturday.

The East Enders, who dethroned rivals Somerset by 27 runs last summer at Wellington Oval, this week announced a Select XI that will take on nearby rivals St.David?s.

St.George?s will be led by Herbie Bascome, who, despite expressing a desire to stand down as skipper, looks set to remain in the position for at least another year.

Bascome is currently enjoying another productive season with the ball in the First Division and could very well play a leading role in the champion?s attack when they travel to the West End on August 3 and 4 to defend their title against challengers Somerset Cricket Club.

With St.David?s? wicketkeeper/batsman, and last year?s Cup Match MVP, Chris Foggo struggling to gain form, this could be the year for Devonshire Recreation Club?s Ricardo Brangman to finally make the big breakthrough.

?I have been impressed by Ricardo?s ability to bat for longer periods. He is a run getter and is very efficient behind the stumps,? noted St.George?s coach and selector George Cannonier.

Brangman, son of former Southampton Rangers? skipper Ricky sr, has been named Bascome?s vice captain, and has been consistent with the bat this season, averaging 57.25 runs per innings with a high score so far of 106.

?He has never switched allegiance and has always tried out for St.George?s and I think this could very well work in his favour,? Cannonier added.

Meanwhile, Foggo, Delyone Borden, George O?Brien jr and OJ Pitcher ? all members of St.George?s Cup Match team last summer ? will play for club side St.David?s, along with St.George?s opener Oronde Bascome.

?Oronde (Bascome) will play for St.David?s who we hope will field a strong side so that we can see some very competitive cricket being played,? Cannonier confirmed.

Bascome is presently enjoying his best ever season in top flight cricket and his productivity with the bat will make it very difficult for the selectors to overlook.

Another cricketer who seems to have caught the St.George?s selection committee?s eye is Cleveland County skipper Jason Simons.

Like Brangman, Simons has been in good nick with the bat and could very well be on course to become the first Cleveland cricketer since Peter Philpott to represent the East Enders in the annual classic.

?He (Simons) is really coming into his own and beginning to mature and has been very impressive this year in leading Cleveland,? Cannonier noted.

?I?m sure if he can maintain a level consistency it shouldn?t be any problem for him to break into the team. And for Jason being selected would be like a long time in coming because he started out very well as a youngster and everyone expected him to go into Cup Match with flying colours.?

Simons? ability to move the ball off the seam is another asset that could tip the scales in his favour.

Bailey?s Bay and Bermuda national team seamer Jim West has also been invited to play on Saturday along with Bay team-mate Tre Govia.

However, Southampton Ranger?s duo Keith Wainwright and Lionel Cann, and St.George?s? early order bat Troy Hall, will not take part in Saturday?s trial match.

Wainwright and Cann are both due to play for Rangers in Saturday?s opening round of the Western Counties while Hall was not included.

?He (Hall) hasn?t been omitted due to a lack of form or anything of that nature. The selectors opted instead to have a look at other players they don?t get the opportunity to see on a more regular basis for this particular match,? St.George?s deputy sports chairman Kenny Foggo explained.

Hall has so far proven to be one of St.George?s most consistent batsmen and if he can maintain his 73.33 batting average for the season, then the veteran batsman should easily retain his spot in the champion?s XI.

Another noticeable absentee come Saturday will be Cup Match?s all-time leading run getter Charlie Marshall.

Marshall surpassed former St.George?s team-mate Wendell Smith as the Classic?s top run getter last summer at Wellington Oval when he scored a combined 66 runs in both innings to take his overall tally to 1,164 runs.

?Charlie is still interested in playing. So this is not a matter of him stepping down,? Cannonier said. ?He (Marshall) thought it best not to play in this particular match so that the selectors could have a look at other players.?

However, Marshall?s nephew and Social Club team-mate, Jahmiko, has been included in St.George?s team for Saturday, along with Flatts? pair Phillip Burgess and Vernon Eve and Western Stars? all rounder Gershon Gibbons. Herbie Bascome (capt), Ricardo Brangman (v. capt), Jason Simons, Kevin Shiell, Jim West, Phillip Burgess, Tre Govia, Jaymo Durham, Jahmiko Marshall, Gershon Gibbons, Vernon Eve, Wilbur Burt, Akeem Trott and Jonte Smith.

All players have been requested to show up at the ground no later than 9 a.m.

Meanwhile, Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed yesterday the senior national squad will play against Cup Match champions St.George?s in a 20 over contest at Wellington Oval on Wednesday, July 12, beginning at 5.45 p.m. as part of the preparations for next month?s Stanford 20-20 tournament in Antigua.