Bermuda national team fast bowler Kevin Hurdle announced yesterday that he will play in next month's Cup Match classic.

Hurdle is currently serving out a seven-week playing stint with Folkestone CC in Kent, and earlier this week was extended the privilege of bowling in the nets to members of England and Pakistan's Test teams at Lord's.

"I am definitely available to play and of course I want to play in Cup Match," said Hurdle, speaking from the UK last night. "And I want this one really bad because I've only played Cup Match for two years and on both occasions we lost the cup."

Hurdle was a colt on Dexter Basden's Somerset team that were defeated by nine wickets in 1997 and also a member of Janeiro Tucker's squad that lost by 27 runs last summer, both losses unravelling at Wellington Oval.

"I've never played at Somerset Cricket Club before and so I'm really looking forward to playing on Somerset's home ground," he added. "And this is something I've always wanted to do and I also want to win the cup."

Last year saw Hurdle claim six first innings wickets for 25 runs, the best performance by a Somerset bowler since Hasan Durham's seven for 71 in 1996.

When contacted last night, Somerset coach Winston Reid was still awaiting written correspondence from his fast bowler to confirm his availability.

"If guys make themselves available then that means the pool becomes bigger and we will have more players to choose from," Reid told The Royal Gazette last night.

Earlier this week Somerset all rounder Saleem Mukuddem said he would reconsider making an appearance in this year's classic after initially ruling himself out.

Meanwhile, this week saw Hurdle's stint in the UK reach a crescendo.

"On Tuesday I bowled to the England team and yesterday (Wednesday) I bowled to both England and Pakistan," Hurdle explained. "And it was a very nice experience being able to mingle and bowl to them in the nets.

"I was able to bowl a few of them out and get a few edges and lbws. And it was just great getting an opportunity to bowl at the next level."

He added: "Yesterday I got to watch Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Abdul Razzaq and Inzamam- ul- Haq bat. Waqar Younis was there as well as the bowling coach of Pakistan, and so I got to see some great Test players and actually be within arm's distance of all of them."

England were comfortably poised at 309 for three at close of play on day one of their opening Test series against Pakistan at Lord's yesterday.

As for his own progress, Hurdle noted: "I am really finding a smoothness in my run up and trying to find my line and length and be more consistent."

Hurdle has been based in the UK since last month following Bermuda's successful tour of England and Guernsey. And so far he has been blessed with favourable weather conditions.

"We've had some great weather all this time," he said. "When I came out here I didn't even bring one pair of shorts thinking it was going to be cold. But days I walk around in jeans and a tee-shirt with no jacket and sun glasses on.

"I've only experienced maybe two or three cold days since I've been here. All the rest of the days I've had to get out of the sun."