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Cup Match rivals Somerset and St. George's have produced many exciting battles since the annual cricket spectacle began over a century ago.

One classic in particular that stands out in memory took place at Somerset Cricket Club in 1983.

That was the year when Clevie (Palmer) Wade led St. George's to a famous three-wicket victory over John Tucker's Somerset in a low scoring affair.

Somerset, whose team boasted five members of Bermuda's 1982 ICC Trophy squad which finished runners-up behind Zimbabwe, were favourites to retain the revered showpiece that year - and rightfully so having beaten their East End rivals convincingly by six-wickets the year before to give Tucker a Cup Match victory as captain in his first attempt.

Heavy rains in the lead up to the match made winning the toss paramount. And while it is often said luck runs with the champions, this was not to be the case for cup holders Somerset who lost the toss and were sent in to bat on a "sticky wicket".

Tucker recalled: "It practically rained all that week, right up to Cup Match. Winning the toss was very crucial.

"I really wanted to win that toss because Mother Nature had already played her part. I was very disappointed not to win that toss."

Conversely, Wade could barely hide his relief at winning the crucial toss.

He said: 'The minute I saw heads on the coin I felt a big relief because the pitch was still damp. We sent Somerset in to bat and things just fell into place from there."

It took only seven deliveries for St. George's to make the breakthrough with colt Roger Leverock opening his Cup Match account by snaring the prized scalp of Somerset and Bermuda opener Winston Reid with his first delivery.

For an encore, the strapping Western Stars left-arm pacer claimed the wickets of Ricky Hill and Steven Lightbourne with the first delivery of his second and third overs to leave Somerset reeling at eight for three.

Leverock recalled: "It was definitely a thrill for me ­because those three wickets set the tone for us to win the cup back. At that time Bermuda had just come back from the ICC Trophy and the bulk of Somerset's team was the island's ICC team.

"Claiming their first three wickets cheaply was like taking 150 runs off the scoreboard right away. It was definitely some hype there for myself as a colt, especially playing with and against the type of quality players we had back then.

"Palmer Wade is one of those skippers that motivates the team and draws the ability out of the player. So when he gave me the ball I had the confidence to know that I had the ability to be able to penetrate and do the necessary damage against the quality batsmen Somerset had in their lineup."

St. George's skipper Wade added: " I will never forget Roger's first over in Cup Match as a colt. He got a wicket with his first ball. He had Winston Reid caught behind and you never forget moments like that."

Neither will Leverock who rates St. George's' 1983 Cup Match triumph as one of the defining moments of his career.

He said:" That was a Cup Match that I will never forget. The atmosphere, the quality of players that played in that Cup Match, it was definitely a match that stood out to me throughout my career."

If Leverock's first innings wicket haul of three for 17 set St. George's up for victory on foreign turf, the superb fielding of Charlie Marshall, stubborn resistance of opening pair Wendell Smith and Allen Richardson and superb bowling by skipper Wade, pacer Adrian King and swing bowler Noel Gibbons in the second innings sealed it.

Catches

It was Marshall who kept the pressure on Somerset after Leverock made the initial breakthrough by ­executing two spectacular diving catches in the covers to dismiss stalwarts Colin Blades and Gladstone (Sad) Brown.

Marshall, Cup Match's all-time leading run getter, said: "Those two catches were the turning point of St. George's winning the game. During my entire Cup Match career those were the most important catches I have ever taken."

Marshall's superb catch off the bowling of cousin Gibbons snapped a burgeoning 34 run fourth wicket stand between Brown and Blades. And from there wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals ­before the cup holders were eventually dismissed for a paltry 118.

Specialist fielder Marshall, who would later go on to captain St. George's added: "My role in the field was to stop the ball from reaching the boundary so that we could get the victory in Somerset.

"I had to field to the best of my ability and I never doubted my ability in those days."

Assisting Leverock in the bowling were Gibbons and fellow colt Stan Smith who also claimed three wickets each, the latter for a stingy three runs.

However, any thoughts St. George's had of piling up a healthy first innings lead were dashed as Somerset fast bowler Anthony (Pacer) Edwards tore through the order en route to superb figures of six for 33.

The East Enders eventually folded for 160, a first ­innings lead of 42 runs. But a 64 run opening stand ­between Smith and Richardson, who was chosen as Cup Match MVP that year, would prove invaluable in the grand scheme of things.

Somerset's batting woes continued in the second ­innings, with future captain Andre Manders nudging a determined 53 in the cup holders' second innings total of 165.

Wade, Gibbons and King took three wickets apiece, to leave the East Enders in what should have been an easy run chase.

But the demons that had plagued the batsmen all match continued to make their presence felt and St. George's would lose seven wickets in pursuit of a modest victory target of 124 that was eventually achieved via a Winston (Coe) Trott no ball.

Trott (four for 36) carried Somerset's attack in the second innings after pace ace Edwards limped off with a strained groin, never to return.

Richardson's dogged ­unbeaten 24 perhaps characterized the uphill struggle opposing batsmen faced in trying conditions.

Summing up his team's famous triumph, St. George's skipper Wade said: "The team's morale and commitment was there. We all went out there and gave one hundred percent and were rewarded. It took a whole team effort.

"My father (Calvin) died earlier that year and so the team rallied behind me one hundred percent. I had promised my father after losing Cup Match the year before that we would win the next year - and we did. It was just a pity he didn't live to see it."[[In-content Ad]]

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