Update a SELECT list: set option.selected=true without throwing an **undefined** error.

I have a hidden field which contains a value.  I have a SELECT/OPTION list that has no selected options.  After the select is written to the browser, I want to make to option, corresponding to the hidden value to become selected.  The JavaScript below consistantly throws an undefined error when I execute the line to set the correct option's selected value to true.  Funny enough, if I trap the error with a try .. catch block, the assignment works (cross browser).  

Question: >How can I set the correct option to selected without the try .. catch block, without the error and without putting the options into an array and rebuilding the SELECT dynamically with JavaScript?


    <select id="country" name="country" size="1">
          <option value="AF">AFGHANISTAN</option>
            <option value="AL">ALBANIA</option>
            <option value="AD">ANDORRA</option>
            <option value="AO">ANGOLA</option>
            <option value="AI">ANGUILLA</option>
            <option value="AG">ANTIGUA</option>
            <option value="VE">VENEZUELA</option>
            <option value="VN">VIETNAM</option>
            <option value="WF">WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS</option>
            <option value="YE">YEMEN</option>
            <option value="ZM">ZAMBIA</option>
            <option value="ZW">ZIMBABWE</option>
    </select>
    <input type="hidden" id="cSave" name="cSave" value="VN">
</form>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
if (document.getElementById('cSave').value!='') {
      for (var idx=0;idx<document.getElementById('country').options.length;idx++) {
            if (document.getElementById('cSave').value==document.getElementById('country').options[idx].value) {
                  document.getElementById('country').selectedIndex=idx;
                        // The next line throws an undefined error.
                        // if the error is trapped with try .. catch, the option is selected
                        // as desired.  I can live with the try .. catch since I get the
                        // action I need, but I would prefer to get the desired action
                        // without the try .. catch block, if possible.
                  document.getElementById('country').options[idx].selected=true;

                        // THIS WORKS BUT I WANT TO GET RID OF THE TRY .. CATCH
                        //try {
                  //      document.getElementById('country').options[idx].selected=true;
                  //}
                  //catch(e) {
                  //      if(e.error!=undefined) {
                        //           alert(e.error);
                  //      }
                  //}
                  break;
            }
      }      
}
//-->
</script>


Thanks,
Rod