Cup Match lovers have awoken to the reality that there will be no morning nerves, no last-minute fidgeting with kit and no joyous anticipation of the toss and that first ball.

Outside of the regrettable loss of life, which should never be forgotten as to why we are in this predicament in the first place, the absenting of Cup Match from the Bermuda cultural and sporting calendar in 2020 is the biggest victim of the coronavirus pandemic.

But fret not.

Thanks to the Bermuda Government’s communications arm, CITV, The Royal Gazette will bring you wall-to-wall coverage in this space with a packed programme today and tomorrow.

The absence of live cricket this year has helped to shine a more instructive light on the real meaning of Cup Match, how and why it started — and how its origins should be passed from generation to generation.

We should never forget Bermuda’s ugly past, as we forge a more progressive future, and Cup Match presents a constant reminder.

Programming will begin at 7am each day, with a presentation this morning by James Ziral titled “Slavery in Bermuda” and the 2012 induction of Mary Prince as a National Hero tomorrow.

A series of documentaries, speeches and recollections from past players and captains will also be featured, but the meat of the day will focus on highlights of yesteryear.

Timed to coincide with the normal 10am start, CITV will view extended highlights from some of the more captivating Cup Matches of modern times — including the stunning St George’s victory against the odds in 1994, Somerset winning the cup in 1996 after a long absence and the historic innings victory by the present cup-holders in 2018.

So we may not have live cricket this year, but there should be enough packed into these two days of programming to keep the fire burning for its return in 2021.

• To view the CITV programme listings for today and tomorrow, click on the PDF links under “Related Media”