Somerset CC 370-6 decSt George’s CC 191 and 137-5Champions Somerset retained the Cup Match trophy after this year’s two-day classic ended in a tame draw at Wellington Oval.Rain delays and a match saving partnership between St George’s pair Lionel Cann (26) and Rodney Trott (33) undermined Somerset’s bid for a first victory in the East End in more than three decades.After considerable time was lost to heavy downpours, the resilient Cann and Trott produced an unbroken 54-run sixth wicket stand that poured cold water on Somerset’s victory plans.The pair came together with St George’s in deep trouble at 83 for five and withstood everything the champions tossed their way batting on a deteriorating track to salvage a share of the spoils for the hosts in a match Somerset dominated throughout and deserved to win.“We felt we could have got the win had the rain not come early on the second day,” said Somerset skipper Jekon Edness. “Mother Nature made it almost impossible to get the desired result for the club and the fans.“It was a bittersweet result because we felt this was really a year that we could go out there and win on their field for the first time in 30 years.”St George’s found themselves staring straight down the barrel of a second successive defeat after they were forced to follow on from their first innings after being dismissed 179 runs shy of Somerset’s first innings total of 370 for 6 declared.And things quickly got worst when opener OJ Pitcher (1), who was promoted up the order, played down the wrong line and was bowled by a fired up Malachi Jones who was virtually unplayable on an uneven track which saw the occasional delivery rise from a good length or stay low.Somerset skipper Edness brought spinner Jacobi Robinson into the attack shortly after tea and the latter took only two deliveries to remove Treadwell Gibbons Jr (17) who was caught in the slips by Janeiro Tucker.Gibbons’ reaction to his dismissal marred proceedings. The left-handed batsman stood his ground after receiving the dreaded finger from the umpire and eventually had to be restrained from confronting celebrating Somerset players and escorted off the field.Robinson, who bowled consistently down the right lines, struck again four overs later when he had colt Christian Burgess caught by Chris Douglas at silly point without scoring.Somerset all-rounder Kamau Leverock then produced a brilliant piece of fielding to throw down the stumps from the long off boundary with colt Onias Bascome (2) short of his crease and leave St George’s fluttering at 62 for five.St George’s skipper Oronde Bascome joined his brother in the pavilion four overs later after he was trapped leg before by Tucker for a well-played 43 that included eight fours.Sensing victory, Somerset shuffled their bowlers and set attacking fields around the St George’s batsmen who were clearly uncomfortable batting on an unpredictable pitch.But Cann and Trott put up shutters until the inevitable draw was conceded in fading light.Robinson claimed 2-18 from seven overs with his off break spin to finish with match figures of 6-83.Jones, who tossed down three consecutive maidens in St George’s’ second innings, finished with equally impressive match figures of 5-49 from 21 overs.Somerset took the match to St George’s after winning the toss and electing to bat on the first day.Opening pair Chris Douglas (42) and Terryn Fray (44) added 61 runs for the first wicket to knock the shine off the new ball before St George’s colt Lateef Trott trapped Douglas leg before with a yorker to claim his first wicket in Cup Match.St George’s seamers Justin Pitcher and Zeko Burgess, one of four colts in the East Ender’s team, struggled with their line and length and were often punished for straying wide or dropping it short.Somerset were cruising along comfortably but were pegged back after losing Fray and Stephen Outerbridge (6) in quick succession to leave the match in the balance at 139-3 at lunch with Tre Manders and Tucker in ominous form at the crease.Manders looked in fine touch from the outset and for long spells dominated the partnership with the more senior Tucker who got off the mark with a crisp cover drive to the mid off fence off the bowling of colt Trott.Manders was let off the hook after he was dropped behind by wicketkeeper Burgess. But he eventually reached his half century off 95 balls after cutting paceman Burgess to the backward point boundary for four.Tucker seemed intent to play second fiddle to Manders but eventually shifted gears to smash successive fours off Gibbons to bring up his half century off 73 balls.The veteran all-rounder also flirted with danger shortly after bringing up his half century, driving just short of the fielder at mid off, much to his relief.Both batsmen capitalised on some wayward bowling, punishing anything short or wide with authority as St George’s bowlers continued to spray the ball all over the place.Manders reached a maiden Cup Match century off 133 deliveries in emphatic fashion, hoisting Burgess to the long off boundary for four before being mobbed by joyful Somerset fans.But his attractive innings, that included 16 fours and three sixes, came to a violent end when on 109 he dragged a widish Lateef Trott delivery onto his stumps. Manders and Tucker added 181 runs in a fourth wicket partnership that broke St George’s’ back and placed Somerset firmly in the driver’s seat.The pair’s century partnership is the second best for the fourth wicket in Cup Match and fourth highest for all wickets.Once Manders departed Tucker stole the spotlight, driving Burgess to the long off boundary for four to break Charlie Marshall’s record (1,357) for the most runs in Cup Match.Among those congratulating Somerset’s most senior player for achieving the milestone was Marshall, St George’s’ current chairman of selectors.Not long after breaking Marshall’s record Tucker bagged another Cup Match milestone when he became the first player to score four centuries in the annual classic, reaching triple digits after getting an inside edge off a Lateef Trott delivery and scampering through for two runs.Tucker, whose unbeaten innings of 104 included 16 fours and three sixes, added 46 runs for the sixth wicket with skipper Edness (21) before Somerset declared their innings shortly after tea.Seamer Lateef Trott was by far St George’s best bowler and was rewarded with figures of 3-73 on his Cup Match debut.In reply, St George’s got off to a shaky start and at close of play were on the ropes at 76 for five with overnight watchmen Rodney Trott (2) and Cann (0) at the crease.Cann resumed his innings on the second day still one run shy of becoming he fifth batsman to score 1,000 runs in Cup Match.After withstanding some hostile bowling the veteran all-rounder reached the milestone with an inside edge off Leverock that raced to the vacant fine leg boundary for four.Cann eventually departed for 19 after he was caught in the covers by Manders playing across the line of a Jones delivery.Trott did well to keep the bowlers at bay, but he couldn’t prevent wickets from tumbling at the opposite end as Somerset continued to make steady inroads with the ball.Leverock ultimately brought St George’s’ innings to a spectacular ending when he bowled Trott for a determined 48, forcing the hosts to follow on.Seamer Jones was the pick of the Somerset bowling with 4-22 while off spinner Robinson seized 4-65 that included two wicket maidens.