As was the case with Albert Steede's century two years ago, Mark Ray's first century in the Classic influenced the outcome of the 97th Cup Match at Somerset yesterday.

It wasn't the `two-to-one' that St. George's captain Clay Smith had spoken about beforehand, or even a victory for either team, as the contest -- which promised much at the start of the second day -- petered out to a tame draw last evening.

Ray's innings was just what St. George's needed, going to the wicket in the second innings with his team in trouble at 49-3 after less than an hour. The overall lead was 88 but with three top bats already gone, the innings called for some stability and Ray, with his third knock in Cup Match, provided it.

The 29-year-old, who hadn't even reached double figures in his first two innings in Cup Match, set about repairing the early damage and held his end intact while wickets fell around him.

The champions were still not out of danger at 118-6 at Lionel Cann's dismissal before Ray. Wicketkeeper Dean Minors put on 45 for the seventh wicket in 75 minutes as the overall lead went past 200.

But with memories of 1996, when Somerset scored 252-7 in 76 minutes plus the final 20 overs to win a thriller, still fresh in Smith's mind, a sporting declaration was out of the question.

He extended the St. George's innings to 6.25 p.m. to allow Ray to complete his century which came with his 14th four through the extra cover off Del Hollis.

St. George's declared immediately afterwards to set Somerset the impossible task of scoring 264 for victory in the last 18 overs.

Not surprisingly, criticism fell on Smith for declaring too late for either team to force a victory, but Smith credited Ray for leading the team to safety.

"He saved the game for us, and his innings was a Most Valuable Player innings, without a doubt,'' said the captain.

Smith then accused Somerset of not taking the initiative late on the first evening when they took two hours to score their first 62 runs.

"Somerset didn't take the game to us during the last period yesterday (Thursday) and this morning. They never looked like they wanted to accelerate to get a victory.

"They wanted to take their time and then put the onus on us to declare. But they should have taken the game to us from the start. If Dex has any qualms, he won the toss and he should have batted and led from the start.'' Basden admitted his team's scoring rate on the first evening when Steede and Robinson rescued them from 61-3 proved decisive as they fell well short of their intended close-of-play target.

"In the second hour we batted a bit slow and I felt at the end of the day we should have had at least 200 runs,'' said Basden.

"We came out in the morning and did our best but Clay and his boys should have given us at least an hour plus 20 overs.

"People came here to see good cricket. I take my hat off to him (Ray) but I think the crowd would have been more into it if we had had at least an hour and 20 overs. People were looking at what happened in '96 and I'm sure we would have given it a good go.'' Somerset crumbled from a good overnight position to lose their last seven wickets for 79 runs and trail by 39 on first innings. But they were soon back in the contest when St. George's began their second innings at 12.08 and by 1.03 were three down for 49.

It turned out to be a batsman's Cup Match with six players passing 50 during the two days.

Recalled Charlie Marshall struck 54 to lead the St. George's batting in the first innings, as he came in at 55-3 after the first three wickets went down in just 62 minutes. Marshall batted for 166 balls and hit five fours.

He and his captain added 77 for the fourth wicket with Smith reaching an even 50 from six fours and a six while Lionel Cann hit a typical swashbuckling 40 from five sixes and a four off 34 balls.

Hasan Durham claimed four for 59 from 19.5 overs while Del Hollis took two for 34 off 12.

Steede reached yet another Cup Match 50, finishing with 61 but it was Sammy Robinson's 63 that delighted the crowd. He even upstaged Steede during their stand of 94 for the fourth wicket in the first innings.

The young colt smashed five straight fours off Ryan Steede to move into the 30s and then removed Eugene Foggo from the attack with two sixes before bringing up his 50 two balls before the close with another six off Gary Brangman.

Brangman, surprisingly not given the new ball, was the best of the St.

George's bowlers with six for 55 from 23.3 overs while Lionel Cann claimed two for 44 from 17.

Dwayne Leverock claimed three for 43 in the St. George's second innings while Charles Swan had two for 33.

It was a good Cup Match for the Somerset colts as Swan bowled 23 tight overs and claimed three wickets in the match while Kwame Tucker followed Robinson's example and added a classy 50 not out in the second innings to go with his 29 in the first as he and Steede put on 50 for the first wicket.

"I was very, very impressed with the way Somerset played,'' Smith admitted.

"To tell you the truth my team didn't show up until this morning. Yesterday on the field we were very flat and we went home and discussed it and it wasn't until this morning that we realised that if Somerset came at us this morning we could possibly be in a little trouble.'' Janeiro Tucker, by virtue of two brilliant diving catches in the St. George's second innings, was voted the winner of the new `safe hands' award for the best fielder, a prize that includes a airline ticket to the United States.

The Bermuda Society for the Blind will be $4,200 richer as a result of Cable and Wireless' pledge to donate $200 to them for every six hit.

Last year the charity received $3,400 from 17 sixes and this year 21 sixes were hit by the batsmen, including five from Lionel Cann who raised $1,000 in his name.

CUP MATCH SCOREBOARD SOMERSET v ST. GEORGE'S Match drawn at Somerset: St. George's first innings A.Manders c D.Basden b H.Durham 14 M.Ray b C.Swan 5 G.Blakeney c wk K.Tucker b Durham 26 C.Smith b Durham 50 C.Marshall c wk Tucker b J.Tucker 54 E.Foggo c Fubler b D.Hollis 7 L.Cann c Hollis b K.Fubler 40 D.Minors c Steede b Hollis 17 R.Steede c wk Tucker b Leverock 5 G.Brangman not out 12 H.Bascome lbw b Durham 7 Extras (14-b, 3-lb, 6-w) 23 Total 260 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-50, 3-55, 4-132, 5-145, 6-213, 7-232, 8-240, 9-240.

Bowling: C.Swan 10-4-26-1; J.Tucker 11-1-43-1; D.Leverock 14-1-48-1; K.Fubler 9-0-33-1; H.Durham 19.5-4-54-4; D.Hollis 12-2-34-2.

Scoring rate: 50 in 50 mins; 100 in 124 mins; 150 in 215 mins; 200 in 246 mins; 250 in 309 mins.

Somerset first innings (overnight 142-3) A.Steede c E.Foggo b L.Cann 61 K.Tucker st wk Minors b G.Brangman 29 I.Romaine c H.Bascome b Brangman 2 D.Basden c Brangman b Foggo 6 S.Robinson c Cann b Brangman 63 J.Tucker c C.Smith b Brangman 1 D.Leverock b Cann 28 D.Hollis c Bascome b Brangman 6 H.Durham st wk Minors b Cann 2 K.Fubler b Brangman 8 C.Swan not out 0 Extras (1-b, 14-lb) 15 Total 221 Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-54, 3-61, 4-155, 5-157, 6-189, 7-195, 8-210, 9-221.

Bowling: H.Bascome 7-2-25-0; L.Cann 17-4-44-2; E.Foggo 14-5-26-1; R.Steede 4-2-28-0; G.Brangman 23.3-4-55-6; A.Manders 1-0-8-0; C.Smith 3-1-13-0; M.Ray 3-1-7-0.

Scoring rate: 50 in 67 mins; 100 in 174 mins; 150 in 202 mins; 200 in 261 mins.

St. George's second innings E.Foggo c and b Robinson 25 A.Manders c Robinson b Swan 8 G.Blakeney c J.Tucker b Swan 15 C.Marshall c wk Tucker b J.Tucker 19 M.Ray not out 103 C.Smith c Steede b Leverock 0 L.Cann c J.Tucker b Leverock 14 D.Minors run out 9 R.Steede b Fubler 6 G.Brangman c Durham b Leverock 6 H.Bascome not out 2 Extras (8-b, 6-lb, 4-nb) 18 Total (for nine wickets declared) 225 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-49, 3-49, 4-75, 5-80, 6-118, 7-163, 8-193, 9-200.

Bowling: C.Swan 13-5-33-2; J.Tuckerr 10-4-31-1; D.Hollis 3.4-0-29-0; S.Robinson 9-3-22-1; H.Durham 12-4-29-0; K.Fubler 7-1-24-1; D.Leverock 21-5-43-3.

Scoring rate: 50 in 56 mins; 100 in 123 mins; 150 in 212 mins; 200 in 299 mins.

Somerset second innings A.Steede lbw b Bascome 11 K.Tucker not out 50 D.Hollis c C.Smith b Steede 15 S.Robinson not out 27 Extras (2-lb, 2-nb) 4 Total (for two wickets) 107 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-46.

Bowling: H.Bascome 2.1-1-5-1; L.Cann 1-0-7-0; R.Steede 8-0-52-1; G.Brangman 1.5-0-6-0; G.Blakeney 2-0-13-0; C.Smith 3-0-22-0.

Scoring rate: 50 in 47 mins; 100 in 68 mins.

Toss won by Somerset Umpires: Dennis Raynor, Wilbur Pitcher.

Photos by Ras Mykkal ON TARGET -- St.George's bowler Herbie Bascome picked up the wicket of Albert Steede in Somerset's second innings yesterday -- his only Cup Match victim.

FLASHING BLADE -- Somerset skipper Dexter Basden aims a square drive as wicketkeeper Dean Minors looks on admiringly during play on Thursday.

LEAP FEVER -- Irving Romaine is forced to take emergency evasive action as Clay Smith forces off the back foot at Somerset yesterday. LEAP FEAR -- Irving Romaine is forced to take emergency evasive action as Clay Smith forces off the back foot at Somerset yesterday.