anticipation of his first Cup Match as captain of champions St. George's.

But that nervousness has nothing to do with being fearful of losing the cup the east enders have held since 1983. In fact he is amongst the majority who think that Somerset are not good enough in the all important bowling department to worry the champions.

"I've played long enough to know anything can happen,'' Fox accepts. "But we need to get ourselves in a position to take advantage of the fact that they don't have that deep a bowling attack.'' Fox, who has led the St. George's team with much success this season in the absence of the injured Wendell Smith, also takes over from Smith for the 91st annual classic at Wellington Oval.

He has already confirmed that Arnold Manders will open the batting with Dexter Smith and Lionel Cann the bowling with Kenny Phillips. He also knows what he intends to do if he wins the toss, but that he is keeping to himself for the time being.

The wicket is expected to favour the spinners and that is where St. George's hold the key, says Fox. "It's very surprising to me that they are coming down here with just `Spike' (Wayne Richardson),'' says Fox, 27.

"If they were paying attention to matches at Wellington Oval they would know that those matches were dominated by spin. I don't see Olin Jones or `Doc' (Andre Manders) being the type of spinners who can compare to the spinners we have.

"When we played Western Stars down here `Spike' really turned the ball a lot but in that game he had Arnold at the other end. In Cup Match he doesn't have a top spinner at the other end.'' It was only a couple of weeks ago when Wendell Smith revealed his unavailability that Fox realised he could be skippering the team for the first time in his seventh Cup Match.

"I'm trying to stay as calm as possible and do the job the best I can do it,'' said Fox. "I was preparing my mind to take a step back out of the limelight and be just a player again.

"I don't really fear any of their players -- respect is a better word -- but it's Cup Match and the pressure is on their bowlers.'' The top of the St. George's batting will be Dexter Smith, Manders, Clay Smith and Charlie Marshall with Fox, himself, probably following at five and Noel Gibbons at six.

"Things might alter as things go along,'' the captain added, saying that "both Lionel Cann and Dean Minors could be promoted in the order if quick runs are needed to press the advantage.'' Fox defends the decision to carry just one pace bowler, saying that the wickets at Wellington Oval have been known to favour the slow bowlers.

David Adams and Eugene Foggo, one of the orthodox variety and the other a flighty wrist spinner who many rate as Bermuda's best, will be the main two slow bowlers for St. George's with support from Arnold Manders and Clay Smith.

Fox's biggest decision in that department is who to bowl in what order.