Somerset name their strongest team to face Scotland at Edinburgh

Somerset set out on the trail to Lord's on Wednesday when they face Scotland in the first round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy at the Grange in Edinburgh.

After winning the handsome trophy, dubbed by many as the `F.A.Cup of cricket' and tasting success in 2001 to end an eighteen year trophy famine for the west country club, they will be keen to repeat this feat again at cricket's headquarters this September.

Last year they were back at Lord's, but this time round had to settle for the runners up medal as they fell foul of Yorkshire and their in form Australian batsman Matt Elliott.

Somerset have met Scotland before in the competition, and on that occasion it was the Cidermen who were victorious, but they will be only too well aware of the dangers of playing away against lesser sides in the first round of the cup, and many supporters still remember losing to Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe back in 1987.

Chief executive Peter Anderson told me: "These matches are a banana skin waiting to happen for all first class counties. We have never forgotten being beaten in the first round in 1987 so we will be taking no chances."

The prize for the winners of this first round match is a home tie against Surrey on Wednesday May 28th a tempting prospect and big money spinner, but first of all Somerset have to beat a Scottish side who are full of confidence after beating Durham Dynamos in their first ever National Cricket League match last weekend.

The Scottish players may be a team of amateurs without any financial backers,but in their line up they have a number of talented young players including twenty year old off spinner Majid Haq, who ripped the heart out of the Durham middle order taking 4 for 36, including 3 wickets in four balls.

Somerset are yet to win a one day match this season, and have already been beaten by Durham Dynamos, the team that Scotland beat on Sunday, so will certainly be taking this match very seriously indeed.

When I spoke to coach Kevin Shine he was still smarting from the teams recent loss and told me: "Being defeated by Derbyshire Scorpions hurt us and we were very disappointed indeed by the result. We can't afford to underestimate our opposition especially after their win at Durham on Sunday."

He continued: "We need to give a professional performance against Scotland and get the right result."

England opener Marcus Trescothick also warned against complacency and told me: "I've never been to Scotland before so I am really looking forward to playing up there because it will be a whole new experience for me. However we can't afford to take a game like this lightly after all they are an international team now."

Somerset have given themselves the best possible chance of victory north of the border by naming their strongest available one day side for the match, and include their trio of World Cup players in the line up.

The full Somerset team to play Scotland is: Marcus Trescothick, Mike Burns (captain), Jamie Cox, James Bryant, Keith Parsons, Ian Blackwell, Rob Turner, Keith Dutch, Richard Johnson, Nixon McLean and Andy Caddick.

Somerset may be a long way from home but they will certainly not be without support. A large number of supporters are expected to make the journey north, many travelling by plane to Edinburgh early this morning where they will hope to cheer their side to victory, but it may not be easy.