Dear Sir,

Unless there is rain you can rest assured that Somerset will win Cup Match this year.

There are several reasons for this but I will only provide you with three.

First of all St. George's are severely depleted by the loss of too many key players to national team duty, namely OJ Pticher, Chris Foggo, George O'Brien, Stefan Kelly, Rodney Trott and Oronde Bascome.

Second, Somerset's likely inclusion of the three Southampton Rangers players, Janeiro Tucker, Malachi Jones and Dion Stovell, will give them a definite edge. All three are match-winners and have decided to focus on domestic cricket this season, so Cup Match represents the highlight of their season. They will therefore be a force to be reckoned with.

Third, the fact that the game will be played in the west end means Somerset will be able to prepare a wicket to suit their bowlers and you can bet your bottom dollar they will do so. Don't go to the game expecting to see a lot of runs. It's not going to happen this year, instead plenty of wickets will be falling.

On another note, I read Clay Smith's article in Friday's paper on how we can improve our domestic game and I must say I agree wholeheartedly with his approach. The only point on which I would differ is that I believe if the top eight clubs are going to be appointed professionals, then the 'pro' must be a seasoned cricketer capable of not only of making an impact on the field of play but also sharing their knowledge with the local players. Yes they will provide entertainment for fans but more importantly, they must be able to assist our cricketers in moving to the next level.

Let me say I have been disappointed to hear members of the public moaning about our top cricketers committing to the national team over Cup Match. National team should be a priority for any cricketer, to represent your country is a privilege and honour second to none and I am happy that the majority of our top players have chosen to do so.

Yes the game of Cup Match is important but let's not get things 'twisted'. It is emancipation itself that is all important when it comes to this two-day holiday, the game itself is merely one form of celebrating it just like picnicking or camping out is.

Finally, and most importantly from a cricket perspective that is, the national team's participation in the 20/20 qualifiers should be interesting. Quite frankly I am not fussed about this form of the game but the experience should be great for the team when you consider that the majority are under 25.

Because there are several new faces in the side and we are in a rebuilding phase, we as supporters should not place too much emphasis on winning. Instead we should look at development and hope that our guys will grow as a result of the experience.

Development is the order of the day and with the BCB handing out more full-time contracts we should see this come about.

RECMAN