Andre (Doc) Manders has been appointed coach of Somerset's Cup Match team and will now spearhead the West Enders' drive to wrest the coveted trophy back from arch rivals St.George's.

Manders coached Bermuda at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year and as a respected student of the game comes highly recommended for the job.

He is also a former Somerset Cup Match skipper and his experience playing in the annual mid-summer spectacle could prove invaluable as the challengers bid to reclaim the title they relinquished three years ago at Wellington Oval.

"I'm basically just helping out the Cup Match team and it's a privilege to do so," Manders said. "It was hard to turn down the position having played Cup Match for over 15 years.

"I just want to give back something to the youngsters who are playing now. It's going to be interesting and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Assisting Manders at Somerset will be veteran all-rounder Reggie Tucker Jr who has come onboard as a specialist fielding coach while another former Somerset Cup Match skipper, Dexter Basden, has joined the club's selection committee.

It is also understood Somerset are keen to have Basden's brother, Richard, become the team's manager.

Somerset stepped up their preparations for next month's classic, to be played at their West End venue, with a trial match earlier this week against a Western Counties Cricket Association (WCCA) Select.

Manders believes it's only a matter of time before the Cup Match trophy is returned to the West End.

"I see a lot of talent there and the future looks pretty good," he said.

Like their opponents, Somerset's Cup Match plans may also be interrupted as some of the Island's top players may skip this summer's classic in favour of representing Bermuda in Ireland at the Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers.

"You always want your best players to play Cup Match but country always comes first," Manders stressed.

"We will have to make do with the players we have. We do have players like Janeiro Tucker and Malachi Jones who are not presently in the national set-up and so we should be all right."