One innovative feature of this year's Cup Match was the decision to allow total television coverage, seen island-wide free of charge and around the world by the Internet. It was historic, a first-time ever effort that went quite well, virtually flawlessly

The man who pulled it off was James Talbot, head of T&T Productions. The compliments his company has received were overwhelming, said the producer, who was quick to give credit to his prime staff of 15, including four switching directors, seven camera operators, two graphics designers among others who he said 'made it happen'. There were five cameras strategically placed around the field at Somerset Cricket Club (SCC), plus a roving camera in the field.

"Ours was a totally Bermudian staff, talented and enthused, whether they were pulling cables or operating cameras. It was a good mix of experience and youth," said Mr. Talbot.

"Wayne Astwood, a veteran of 35 years in the business, was my right hand man along with my son Alje Robinson, who is 19. Corey Butterfield was aboard as my special projects manager; and my wife Lynda handled the business end, pitching in behind the scenes, pulling cables or whatever or wherever she was needed."

The feedback from the public revealed viewers got more than they initially expected, being most impressed with the instant replays and slow- motion features each camera had.

Mr. Talbot said he was personally surprised and gratified by the response received from the public, particularly from the Internet viewers.

"We had over 8,000 hits during the two days of Cup Match, some from as far away as Japan, China, England, Ireland, the West Indies and from all over the United States. I was surprised because I did not realise the word had gone abroad so widely and quickly. We had our text message number on the screen and viewers texted their compliments to us."

Mr. Talbot, who has more that 30 years in the TV production field, started his company with his son three and a half years ago.

"We ordinarily concentrate on doing two or three camera shoots, and big events like the funeral of Dame Lois Browne Evans and the Remembrance Day ceremony from the Cenotaph last year, which was carried on Government's CITV station. For the funeral we co-ordinated a team of 13 people together and companies including CableVision, BTC and the ZBM and ZFB stations."

He said the most gratifying response had come from senior citizens like his own mother, Mrs. Blossom Talbot, and his wife's aunt, Mrs. Leola Busby, is in her 90s and never misses Cup Match. There were also the sick and shut-in who were overjoyed, as were the campers around the island and on boats who had their TV sets in place.

Fears that total coverage would hurt the take at the club gates proved groundless, with the opposite being the case as excitement in the game mounted.

Mr. Talbot said it was a two-month effort getting things in place with the SCC management and their main sponsor, the Bank of Bermuda. As far as the technical side was concerned, it took them just the week before the game to set up monitors and have everything in place for the trials.

"It took me two days to set up the master control room in a room at the southern end of the club," he said.

They had 4,000 to 5,000 feet of cable to be run.

The Cup Match signal was carried by fibre optic cable set up by technician Bert Frazer with BTC and carried directly from Somerset to Bermuda Broadcasting Company for broadcast island-wide on Channel 9.