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The Benson and Hedges Super Cup is a crossbreed whose tail refuses to wag. Designed to reward the eight counties who finished highest in last year's championship, the final takes place at Lord's tomorrow when Gloucestershire meet Yorkshire.

Next year, the competition reverts to its old format of group games in the first month of the season, followed by knockout.

In Bristol, at least, there is interest; quite a lot, in fact. Gloucestershire have sold their allocation of 4,500 tickets, and taken a further 500 tickets besides.

Yorkshire, by contrast, have returned 500 tickets to Lord's, and it will be interesting to see how many MCC members attend an occasion that traditionally attracts a full house.

To reach the final, the teams have had to win two matches, which confers no legitimacy at all on any kind of knockout competition. Whoever wins would be unwise to regard it as a proper trophy, hard won.

The only cup of any respectability this season is the NatWest Trophy, now played over 50 overs, regrettably, which finds these finalists drawn together again at Bristol on Aug 15.

``We accept that the NatWest is the senior tournament,'' Colin Sexstone, Gloucestershire's chief executive, said, ``but you can win that by beating four first-class counties, and to win this you have to win three matches.''

That is one way of looking at it. Another is to say that, having won only two cups in their history, nobody can deny the ``Glorious Glosters'' a big day out.

They won the old Gillette Cup in 1973, in the red hot days of 'Proctershire', and, four years later, they added the Benson and Hedges Cup. Yorkshire's record is hardly less great. They have made a speciality of losing semi-finals in recent years. This is their first Lord's final since 1987, when they won the Benson and Hedges final on fewer wickets lost.

The game is a boon for Kim Barnett, who left Derbyshire in the winter after the protracted wrangling that has left that county's affairs close to chaos. Barnett was the captain when Derbyshire won the Bensons in 1993 and now, at the ripe age of 39, he is appearing in his fifth Lord's final when most players of his seniority are winding down.

Barnett will take his place at the head of the order but Gloucestershire will not finalise their team until Ian Harvey, their Australian all-rounder, and Jon Lewis have reported fit, or otherwise.

Yorkshire, without Darren Gough, are expected to retain the side who beat Lancashire at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Richard Blakey, who was then 20, is the only member of the current team to remember that triumph 12 years ago. Those were the days when he played solely for his batting, before he picked up the wicketkeeping gloves. Now he bats just above the bowlers in a side who have learnt to cover well for Gough who, when he is not injured, is away playing for England.

David Byas is the sort of player who deserves to get his hands on a trophy. It is not easy being the captain of the world's second most famous cricket club, and he has served them well, as batsman, fielder and off the field of play. If this match really has to be played, and apparently it does, then the contestants are certainly well-matched.

Gloucestershire (from): K J Barnett, T H C Hancock, R J Cunliffe, I J Harvey, *M W Alleyne, M G N Windows, -R C Russell, J N Snape, M C J Ball, A M Smith, M J Cawdron, J Lewis.

Yorkshire (probable): C White, G S Blewett, *D Byas, M P Vaughan, A McGrath, R J Harden, G M Hamilton, -R J Blakey, C E W Silverwood, R J Sidebottom, I D Fisher.