Apparently winning almost every domestic trophy available last year wasn't enough for St. David's Cricket Club . . . this season they're determined to win everything, and to do it undefeated.

The best side on the Island were pretty much unbeatable in 2009, sweeping all before them in the 50-over league, the Lindos Twenty20, and the Eastern Counties.

In fact, the only competitions they didn't win were the Belco Cup, for which they hadn't qualified, and the Open League, where they lost to Devonshire Rec in the final.

It's something coach George Cannonier and his squad are desperate to rectify, and the team will begin their pre-season training tonight with the words of Greek philosopher, and more recently NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, ringing in their ears.

"Our philosophy for the season will be 'excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do'. I'm going to print that out, and pin it up in the dressing room."

Not that it appears the players need much motivating, they have been calling Cannonier several times over the past few weeks desperate to get started.

"The guys are really eager to start," he said. "I think the spirit is still high from last season and I'm hearing things from the players like 'we want to win everything this year'. They have set a standard for themselves and my only hope is that they keep to that standard.

"I hope we can keep some level of consistency, because when you are champions you have to keep your standards high, and that's the kind of precedent that we have set for ourselves this season."

Being champions means something else for St. David's, they will have a target on their backs which is bigger than usual, but Cannonier is confident that his charges will rise to the challenge.

"It will be even worse than last year," he said, "and no game is easy, it is always what the players bring to the game on any day. Our style of cricket in Bermuda is so laid back, guys are not really dedicated, to the point of professionalism. I always try and stress (to the team) that if you want to be a good local cricketer, you should try to train like a professional because that way, even if you fall short, you'll be a little better than the average player locally."

The squad will remain largely the same as last year, with the arrival of St. George's bowler Greg Foggo, the only major change at the club.

"They are a keen bunch of guys, and this year we've attracted one player who I think is going to be a great asset to us, young Greg Foggo from St George's, a left-arm pace bowler. So he's committed himself to us, and I think he's going to fit in quite nice," said Cannonier.

"We haven't lost any major players to transfers, we would have loved to have gotten Chris Foggo and Fiqre Crockwell back, (but) apparently they are remaining where they are. But we have enough youngsters in St. David's, and players that transferred last year who we expect a little more from this year.

"I think our programme is going to be . . . I'm not going to make any predictions because they turn out to bite you, so I'm just going to say that I feel we stand a very good chance.

"These boys, they want to win everything, they want to go undefeated. Winning a championship is nice, but going undefeated adds a bit more icing on the cake, it proves you."

Last season St. David's remained strong because their players, generally regarded as among the best in Bermuda, eschewed national duty in search of club glory. Whether that happens again this season Cannonier cannot tell, but if players are called away he's confident the club have enough talent to keep their challenge alive.

"I think the only reason we won the league last year, why we were so strong, is because we had the services of our national team players, and I think we had them because they made up their minds they wanted to win the league," said Cannonier.

"They had been playing cricket for a while, and St. David's have been playing cricket for years, and that (last year) was our best season ever, and it was only because we had all our top players.

"I'm sure there will be some interruptions this year, but we do have youngsters coming along, and they have that same type of attitude, that winning approach to the game, they don't like to lose very much.

"We expect to be very competitive this year, we're going to be ready, ready to defend our honour."