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After taking a huge gamble last season by selecting five specialist bowlers in a bid to bring the Cup back to St George's, the east end selectors have been a little more circumspect this time.

With the cup already in hand, they've picked a team that can really occupy the crease. Packed with all-rounders the St George's side bats right down to number 10.

But chief selector Ritchie Foggo won't be settling for a draw and he is convinced they have enough firepower in the side to get the 20 wickets needed for victory.

Here, he introduces us to the 11-men tasked with defending the title.

Note: All season stats are from the 50 Over league and only include those games where the scorecards have been submitted to the Bermuda Cricket Board.

Lionel Cann, 33

Southampton Rangers

All-rounder

Right Hand Bat/Right-arm medium, Captain

Season Batting: 105 runs at 17.5

Season Bowling: 2 wickets at 33.5

One of the quickest scorers in the game, a powerful hitter, a decent medium pacer and a huge personality on and off the field.

If the selection of a team loaded with batsmen looked a negative tactic from the St George's selectors then the choice of Cann as skipper was exactly the opposite,

He only knows how to play one way, and that is to attack. Foggo said: "He's had a little dry spell but when he gets going, anything can happen."

OJ Pitcher, 23

St David's

Right Hand Bat, Vice Captain

Season Batting: 301 runs at 50.2

After being left out last year Pitcher returns as vice-captain with some solid knocks for both St. David's and the national team behind him. Despite his age he is an experienced bat who has previously captained St David's and was a key figure in the ICC Trophy team. "We decided he was the ideal person to help along some of the new players. We've got some veterans there as well but we were looking to the future with the choice of OJ as vice-captain. "He's shown what he can do with the national side and he's earned his place back in the team."

Delyone Borden, 21

St. David's

All-rounder

Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Off-Spin

Season Bowling: 17 wickets at 11.59

Season Batting: 201 runs at 33.5

In a squad packed with all-rounders Borden is perhaps the only one who would deserve to be picked as a bowler or a batsman. He could potentially open the innings for St. George's but his key role could be as a front-line spin bowler, particularly if Somerset roll a pitch for their spin-kings Sluggo and Durham.

"He's showing a lot of maturity in his game now and is a very useful player to have in the team."

George O'Brien, 21

St. David's

Right-arm fast bowler

Season Bowling: 11 wickets at 14.55

Season Batting: 58 runs at 14.5

He wrote his name into the Cup Match record books with his explosive debut last year - taking 11 wickets to win the game for St George's. He has matured both as a cricketer and as an individual. He spent several months at an academy in Australia and has gone on to lead Bermuda's bowling attack. "Everyone knows he's the fastest bowler in Bermuda," says Foggo. "If Somerset want to win the Cup they are going to have to have a wicket that favours the bowlers...I don't think they fancy standing up to George O'Brien again."

Troy Hall, 38

St George's

Right Hand Bat

Season Batting: 429 runs at 85.8

Season Bowling: 10 wickets at 21.3

"He's got to make amends for last year," says Foggo of Troy Hall's unimpressive debut in the Classic.

Hall will be keen to prove a point this time after scoring a total of two runs in his two innings last year.

He's certainly been doing the job for the club side where his runs have helped St. George's secure promotion. He's the top scorer in the division and has looked a class act.

"We'll be looking to him to get some runs this time, at the top of the order," said Foggo.

Charlie Marshall, 45

Social Club

Left-hand bat

Season Batting: 394 runs at 56.29

Season Bowling: 5 wickets at 33.8

"Charlie is Charlie". That's all Foggo needs to say about Cup Match's all-time top run scorer.

Even at an age where most cricketers are past their prime Marshall is hammering the runs for Social Club.

He scored another century last weekend and few would bet against him repeating the feat at Somerset Cricket Club.

He's been a model of consistency over the years and remains one of the most exciting batsmen in Bermuda. "For me he's a fella that should be still involved in the national team."

Arthur Pitcher jnr, 25

St David's

All-rounder, right-hand bat, right-arm medium, Colt

Season Batting: 252 runs at 36

Season Bowling: 5 wickets at 59.8

Another St David's star who has had a decent season with bat and ball. His stats in the 50-over league don't tell the whole picture and it was largely on the strength of his brilliant all-round performance in the Eastern Counties that he won his Cup Match debut.

A medium pace swing bowler, he could potentially open along with George O'Brien.

"He's another all-rounder and can bat anywhere in the order," added Foggo.

Rodney Trott, 18

Bailey's Bay

Right-arm off-Spin Bowler, Colt

Season Bowling: 5 wickets at 13.2

Season Batting: 21 runs at 7

Trott is another player who is considered an all-rounder, though he has had considerably more success with the ball this year.

He was the top wicket-taker for the Under-19s in the Sir Garfield Sobers tournament and St George's will be looking to him to bowl a lot of overs here. "He's going to bowl a lot of overs. He could show Bermuda that he is ready for the senior national squad. He's young and if we are looking to the future then he could be part of the squad for the next two World Cups after that."

Oronde Bascome, 18

St. George's

Right Hand Bat, Colt

Season Batting: 194 runs at 32.33

Season Bowling: 4 wickets at 40.5

He skippered the under-19s in the Sobers tournament, scored his first century for the club side and has shown all-season what a genuinely exciting prospect he is in theproblem opener slot. He'll follow Outerbridge and Edness to Cardiff on a cricket scholarship next year. Said Foggo: "He's a born and bred opening bat and maybe he can show his talent as a future national team opener. He can also bowl a little bit and could be a surprise element there. His father (Herbie Bascome) has schooled him well."

Clay Smith, 35

Cleveland

Right Hand Bat

Anyone who doubts that Clay Smith is back had better talk to Bailey's Bay. Smith had been easing his way back into domestic cricket with a few appearances down the order for Cleveland. But he showed his class with a brilliant innings as a guest player for St David's in the Eastern Counties, where he dug his team out of trouble.

He's the only player in history with three Cup Match hundreds to his name and could top 1,000 runs in the annual classic with a half-decent knock this year.

Once he had proved his fitness, his selection was never in doubt. "He's our national skipper and an experienced player. He's a man for the big occasion."

Dean Minors, 36

Flatts

Wicketkeeper, left-hand bat

The return of Dean Minors is a huge boost for St George's. He's without doubt the best keeper on the island and also one of the country's top bats.

He's shown time and again under Gus Logie that he has a knack for getting runs when it matters most. And he is developing a reputation as a solid and dependable presence in the team.

"If you look at what he has done for Bermuda over the past few years, he has helped take cricket to the next stage. He is a big-game player."

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