Janeiro Tucker went into this year's Cup Match with the thoughts of it being the centennial celebration of all things past, a celebration of emancipation from racial oppression, a time to reflect on all those great moments and great players of the annual classic.

The view rapidly changed with each elegant, hook, drive, pull, sweep by the Somerset batsman in producing a record breaking innings of 186, eclipsing the 173 not out scored by Lloyd James for St. George's back in 1962, drawing the past to the immediate present.

Tucker's spectacular innings helped Somerset achieve the draw that meant they retained the Cup Match trophy they won last year.

Indeed while the pre-game festivities served to honour what had gone, with James among several 'old-timers' receiving special salutation, once the curtain went up attention switched to the present, with the light shining squarely upon Tucker.

Governor Thorold Masefield may have said it best during the trophy presentation when he noted: "We always knew that the 100th Cup Match celebration would be special," he began. "What we didn't know was what would make it special.

"Mr. Janeiro Tucker, with the highest score ever in 100 years has done just that."

Tucker strode to the crease at number five, with Somerset in need of consolidation having lost two quick wickets, and standing at 81 for three.

By the time he returned to the pavilion, the total was 379, with Tucker having broken James' record, as well as setting a new standard for a fifth wicket partnership with Albert Steede, their stand of 120 surpassing the 116 posted by Charles Daulphin and Sheridan Raynor in 1964. With the dismissal of Steede, Tucker and Richard Basden further applied misery to their opponents, with a sixth wicket stand of 137, second only to the 229 of Rupert Scotland and Lee Raynor back in 1974.

On a benign pitch giving little assistance to the attack, Tucker was rarely troubled, and it soon became evident that something special was to happen.

After needing 67 balls to reach 50, Tucker rapidly accelerated, the next 50 coming from a mere 28 balls, while his third 50 took but 16 balls.

As the total mounted beyond the century mark, Tucker rapidly started picking off several former greats. Lloyd Simmons 146 - check. Lionel Thomas 154 - check, Lloyd James 157 - check. Then came the first poignant moment, as Tucker reached 172, breaking the Somerset record held by Timmy Edwards, who posted 170 not out back in 1950.

Edwards came on the pitch, congratulating Tucker with a hug and some words, but the job was not yet complete.

Then there is was, a glorious front foot drive to extra cover which brought the house down, triggering a pitch invasion and impromptu ceremony, with James personally offering his congratulations.

Tucker smashed 18 fours and 13 sixes in his 142-ball innings.

"I didn't go out there to do it, my goal was just to bat long," explained Tucker moments after he was finally dismissed, more due to exhaustion than any other factor. "Then once I got 100 everybody wanted me to break the record, and as I had come that far I said, 'Hey, I might as well go ahead and do it'.

"When I got to 150 I was pretty sure I could get it, because the bowling wasn't that tight. But I started to tire around 150 and told Richard to try and take a little bit of strike away so I could catch myself.

"This has to be the best innings I've ever had. I've got the record, so it has to be the best."

James was gracious in conceding the record to Tucker, noting how he could not have chosen a better person to eclipse the mark. "I knew, sooner or later, that record would be broken," said James, now more a fixture on the golf course than the cricket pitch.

"Lionel Thomas almost broke it - records are made to be broken, they're not invincible.

"(Tucker's) style was just spectacular, it's the type of cricket people like to see, but I told him to remember one thing, that records are made to be broken."

Likewise impressed, although perhaps a bit dismayed at the same time, was Wendell Smith, Cup Match's leading batsman in terms of aggregate, having compiled 1,143 runs over the course of 20 years for St. George's.

"It's unfortunate in that I never had the opportunity to see Lloyd James' two innings, but it has to rank up there with the top performances," said Smith.

"He definitely deserved it, I don't remember him giving any chances, so it wasn't an innings that was littered with dropped chances, it was very polished, possessed a lot of top-shelf strokes and all credit to him."

However, none was more proud than father John Tucker, a former Somerset captain, and the one who put in timeless hours helping the younger Tucker refine his talent. "A lot of my teachings from earlier have paid off," said the father. "I'm so proud of Janeiro, he played a terrific innings, it was chanceless all the way up until 170 - the guy is just fantastic.

"I've been telling people for the last couple of years, that they haven't seen the best of Janeiro yet, and I even told them last Saturday night that he was going to make a century, and next year, he'll make another one at the 100th year anniversary."

Tucker is set to receive the Most Valuable Player award in a special ceremony next week.

Match report - Page 18