Invitations to try out for champions St.George's and challengers Somerset have been sent to in-form batsman Landro Minors who enhanced his chances of breaking into Cup Match this year with two solid performances at the crease over the weekend.

The left-handed bat notched a maiden Eastern Counties century (128 not out) to help St.David's retain the cup against Cleveland County at Sea Breeze Oval on Saturday. And for an encore Minors hit an unbeaten half-century (66) in a Premier 50-overs match the next day against defending league champs Social Club at Lords to keep the Islanders' own league title aspirations firmly on course.

Minors makes no secret he does have Cup Match ambitions but with this year's classic just nine days away he has yet to reveal which team he hopes to represent.

"Both teams want to have a good look at me. And whichever wants me first, that's where I will go. I feel I still have a lot of time left in the game and I want to take my career to the next level," he told The Royal Gazette.

The early order batsman has the ability to hang around the crease for long periods or step on the gas when required which could prove to be an asset for either Cup Match club should he make the grade. Along with St. David's skipper Delyone Borden (74), Minors added a record 214 runs in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand that took the match completely away from Cleveland during the weekend's Eastern Counties.

He blasted 11 fours and six sixes during a polished innings complemented by sound technique and controlled aggression.

"I didn't have the opportunity to see him on Saturday (Eastern Counties), but based on what I have seen in the past he seems to be an organised player who is maturing as a batsman," commented Ricky Hill, the Somerset coach.

Minors has yet to show up for practise at Somerset while St.George's' own Cup Match preparations have been hampered by inclement weather in recent weeks.

"We are supposed to train Wednesdays . . . but every time we are scheduled to train it has rained," a St.George's member told The Royal Gazette.

Somerset and St.George's will stage their final Cup Match trial matches this Saturday when it will be determined which club Minors eventually decides to try out for.

Both teams are expected to make several changes ahead of next week's classic at Wellington Oval.

Last year's match ended in a tame draw at Somerset Cricket Club.

Among those looking to breakthrough in the West End are spinner Tamauri Tucker, all-rounder Deunte Darrell and seamers Greg Maybury and Kevon Fubler while St. George's will have to fill the voids left by the retired Clay Smith – the only batsman in Cup Match history to score three centuries – and Arthur Pitcher jr and injured spinner Tre Govia.

Smith is now coach of Cup Match champions St.George's.

Those expected to walk straight back into the champions' squad are senior national players Rodney Trott and George O'Brien Jr. while St.David's all-rounder Justin Pitcher, if fit, also looks set to debut in the classic this year.

Pitcher has been out of action for the past several weeks with a side strain.

Fellow St. David's Islander, OJ Pitcher, has already ruled himself out of selection because of studies abroad.

¦ The safest pair of hands during Cup Match will pocket $1,000 in cash, two round-trip tickets to a US gateway city of their choice and an assortment of various other prizes.

Sponsored by Butterfield Bank, the coveted Safe Hands Award is now in its 12th year of existence and is awarded to the player who is chosen by a panel of judges as the most outstanding fielder over the course of the two-day event.

This year's eventual winner will also receive the Cal (Bummy) Symonds Cup and playing kit provided by the former St. George's Cup Match skipper's family.

Symonds captained St. George's to nine Cup Match victories between 1960 and 1969 which remains a record to this day.

He also shares the record for the most catches (24) along with veteran St.George's batsman Charlie Marshall, playing between 1950 and 1969.

Colt Fiqre Crockwell became only the fourth St. George's player to win the award during last year's draw at Somerset.

Janeiro Tucker, one of seven Somerset players to win the trophy, is the only cricketer to have collected the award more than once since its inception in 1997.