Consistency and a timely run of good form finally paid dividends for both Sheridan (Baldy) Ming and Dennis Pilgrim on Saturday night as for successive years champions Somerset opted to make only two changes to their team.

Ming and Pilgrim are now poised to make their debuts as colts during the historical 100th anniversary match this week.

Needing to replace the injured Richard Basden, Somerset selectors spent nearly four hours debating whether or not to discard the out of touch Irving Romaine and bring in some fresh blood.

And when the team was finally announced around 10.40 p.m., indeed Romaine's fate had been sealed.

Ming now comes in to add even more depth to a formidable Somerset batting line-up, while Pilgrim may primarily be called upon for his left arm seam bowling while his hard-hitting batting lower down the order will also prove useful

Somerset skipper Albert Steede said he was satisfied with the selections made, adding that this year's team was just as strong, if not even stronger than last year's squad.

"I feel very confident in the selection and I do believe this team may very well be a bit stronger than last year's team," said Steede.

"We still have a good blend of youth and experience and I am very comfortable and happy with the team.

"We have a great bowling and batting line-up and a great all-round team which is very important. If we find ourselves in a position where we cannot win we can still have the players who can consolidate the innings.

"So again, I am very pleased with the selection."

Earlier, amid the sound of stalls being erected, sporadic rain showers and numerous arguments around the ground about possible team selection and the grassy wicket, oblivious to the minor distractions the Somerset President's select defeated a vice-president's team by three wickets.

Batting first on a damp surface, the vice-president's XI found themselves in early trouble at 27 for three with Curtis Jackson (two), Tony Cheeseman (0) and Sammy Robinson (six) all back in the pavilion.

Eight runs later, veteran Dexter Basden (17) was also making his way back after being caught by Janeiro Tucker off the bowling of Shane Hollis.

But a spirited fifth wicket revival by Kwame Tucker (39) and Wendell White (25) saw the vice-president's select momentarily stall the opposition's brutal onslaught which was inspired by some superb bowling by Corey Hill who grabbed five wickets for 26 runs.

However, after both Tucker and White were finally dismissed, of the remaining batsmen only Treadwell Gibbons Jr (20) managed to hang around the crease as his team were dismissed for a modest 129.

Tucker stroked six fours and one six, a subdued White two fours and a six, while young Gibbons cracked three fours off 34 balls.

In addition to Hill's fine bowling, Pilgrim also came good with two for 42, while Hollis (one for 16), Janeiro Tucker (one for 30) and the charismatic Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock (one for 12) each managed to grab a scalp.

After a two-hour rain delay, the president's select finally began their reply in earnest but just as was the case with their opponents earlier, they too suffered an early collapse.

With Steede (seven), Ming (three) and David Ferreira (eight) all headed for early showers, Janeiro Tucker (21 retired) and Davon Wade (13) added some stability to the innings.

But after Tucker was called in by his skipper, Wade would soon follow after he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kwame Tucker who capped off a fine all-round performance by gloving four routine catches behind the stumps.

Shortly after Irving Romaine (six) failed the litmus test when White had him snapped up at extra cover by David Gibbs, leaving the president's team struggling at 77 for six.

But a swashbuckling (31) from Reid Jones coupled with a purposeful 23 by Pilgrim brought their team to the brink of victory after the latter was also caught behind by Kwame Tucker off Robinson.

It was then left to Leverock to smash two successive fours through the covers to end the match and allow the deliberations to begin.

White was the pick of the president's bowling with three for 20, while Robinson grabbed two for 34 and Gibbs one for 29.

Scoreboards:

SOMERSET

President's XI defeated Vice-President's XI by three wickets at Somerset Cricket Club on Saturday:

Vice-President's XI

Dex. Basden c J.Tucker b S.Hollis 17

C.Jackson c J.Tucker b C.Hill 2

T.Cheeseman c &b Hill 0

S.Robinson c S.Ming b J.Tucker 6

K.Tucker lbw D.Leverock 39

W.White cwk D.Ferreira b D.Pilgrim 25

Dw. Basden c Hill b Pilgrim 0

T.Gibbons Jr cwk Ferreira b Hill 20

H.Durham b Hill 5

Q.Sherlock Jr not out 7

D.Gibbs b Hill 0

Extras (3lb, 3w, 2nb) 8

Total (all out in 42.4 overs) 129

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-16, 3-27, 4-35, 5-83, 6-85, 7-107, 8-117, 9-122, 10-129.

Bowling: C.Hill 8.4-1-26-5; S.Hollis 8-3-16-1; D.Pilgrim 16-5-42-2; J.Tucker 5-1-30-1; D.Leverock 5-2-12-1.

President's XI

S.Ming cwk K.Tucker b W.White 3

A.Steede c Dex.Basden b D.Gibbs 7

D.Ferreira c wk Tucker b White 8

J.Tucker ret. 21

D.Wade c wk Tucker b S.Robinson 13

I.Romaine c Gibbs b White 6

R.Jones not out 31

D.Pilgrim c wk Tucker b Robinson 23

D.Leverock not out 9

Extras (9-lb) 9

Total (For seven wickets, in 36.2 overs) 130

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-11, 3-28, 4-60, 5-60, 6-77, 7-119.

Bowling: D.Gibbs 9-2-29-1; W.White 9-2-20-3; Q.Sherlock Jr 3-0-16-0; S.Robinson 9-1-34-2; H.Durham 6.2-3-22-0.

ST. GEORGE'S

Vice-President's XI defeated President's XI by 40 runs at Wellington Oval on Saturday:

Vice President's XI

G.Blakeney b G.Foggo 30

M.Ray c O.Pitcher b G.O'Brien 67

D.Hollis c Pitcher b D.Borden 27

P.Burgess c wk F.Hall b O'Brien 12

M.Paynter lbw b G.Foggo 1

P.Philpott run out (Foggo) 14

L.Cann c Borden b T.Smith 45

G.Brangman c Foggo b Pitcher 0

H.Bascome not out 35

D.Butterfield not out 0

Extras (8-b, 1-lb) 9

Total (for eight wickets, 53.3 overs) 240

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-92, 3-127, 4-138, 5-148, 6-165, 7-165, 8-213.

Bowling: G.Foggo 12-4-37-2; G.O'Brien 18-3-69-2; L.Marshall 5-1-19-0; O.J.Pitcher 5-0-29-1; D.Borden 6-1-30-1; T.Smith 7.3-1-47-1.

President's XI

P.Pitcher b Bascome 0

C.Smith c wk Blakeney b Brangman 30

O.J.Pitcher lbw b Bascome 2

D.Borden b M.Crane 18

T.Smith b Crane 1

C.Marshall lbw b P.Burgess 91

F.Hall lbw b Burgess 3

G.Foggo lbw b Brangman 21

A.Cannonier lbw b Brangman 6

G.O'Brien b Brangman 15

L.Marshall not out 1

Extras (8-b, 2-lb, 2-nb) 12

Total (36.2 overs) 200

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-8, 3-49, 4-50, 5-57, 6-90, 7-153, 8-175, 9-195.

Bowling: H.Bascome 5-1-16-2; M.Crane 6-0-30-2; G.Brangman 10.2-0-49-4; P.Philpott 7-0-57-0; P.Burgess 8-2-38-2.