There was mud, rain and not enough cricket to satisfy some ¿ but revellers still poured into Wellington Oval determined to party yesterday.

A downpour on Thursday afternoon and showers yesterday morning temporarily stopped play on the pitch and left much of St. George's Cricket Club resembling a quagmire.

But as seasoned Cup Match fans know all too well ¿ it isn't just about the game. Islanders seized their once-a-year opportunity to gamble on home turf in the jam-packed Crown and Anchor tent, while locals and tourists alike sampled traditional Bermudian delicacies such as conch stew, shark hash and mussel spelt, worryingly, "muscle" on some signs ¿ pie.

As 4 p.m. approached yesterday afternoon, crowds were still queueing to get into the ground, negotiating muddy puddles in their flip flops and sandals, dancing on sawdust to soca music and showing off their Cup Match ribbons.

Katura Horton-Perinchief, who represented the country in the 2004 Olympics in diving and is now training for the 2008 Olympics, was dressed from head to toe in Somerset's colours.

"I have the same red and blue hat as my mother and we have been getting a lot of comments," she said. "My uncle (Randy Horton) is the Minister for Sport and chairman of Somerset Cricket Club so I was always going to be supporting Somerset."

At the PLP tent, former Sports Minister Dale Butler ¿ who now holds the Social Rehabilitation portfolio ¿ said the days of seeing dozens of outlandish outfits and outsized papier mache hats on parade, once a Cup Match staple, were gone.

But he said the carnival spirit of the annual two-day event remained. "All in all, in spite of the muck that exists here, I think it's been a wonderful Cup Match.

"People come for the atmosphere and they come to get some fish. Others come to get snowballs and to see friends. This year, despite the weather, they are coming in like honey bees."

American Brad Mulcahey, a 30-year-old Somerset resident and first-timer at the festivities, described Cup Match as "extremely good fun".

"It's very hot and very dirty but we can't wait to send pictures back home," he said. "I'm also impressed with how seriously people take their cricket game."

Ingrid Arboine and Gemma Grey-Hall, both 34-year-olds from Canada, had such a good time at Cup Match 2006 in Somerset that they returned to the Island this year.

"I really haven't had an opportunity to take it all in," said Gemma. "But everyone seems to be having fun and to be really friendly."

By 5 p.m. yesterday, the sky above the Oval was a brilliant blue and serious cricket fans were once again engrossed in a game which just a couple of hours later resulted in a draw with Somerset still in their first innings.

A handful of daredevils climbed up four-storeys of scaffolding to ensure a prime vantage point with the precarious-looking structure seeming to shake each time a wicket tumbled.

There were stern words on the tannoy for tiny tots who ran onto the pitch to celebrate as key wickets fell but, for the most part, the atmosphere at St. George's stayed sunny. Police said there were no major incidents.

UBP Senator Kim Swan said the event a celebration linked to the emancipation of slaves which dates back to the start of the last century united Bermudians, regardless of race or political affiliation.

"It's a very diverse group that's here and that's good for Cup Match and good for the club," he said. "Our forefathers saw the need to have a celebration and I think they would be proud to look down on us today."