When Cup Match spectators looked up to the heavens early on Thursday morning, they probaby came to the same conclusion that had been reached by the players – that the chances of a result in this year's classic had already evaporated.

As was the case a year ago, Mother Nature had already decided the outcome.

Heavy rain that delayed the start for almost two hours meant that St. George's could retain the trophy comfortably, bar two improbable batting collapses.

And for Somerset to regain the same piece of silverware, they'd have to contrive a victory rather than play two-innings cricket as it should be played.

A draw was inevitable.

While TV commentators gave their viewers the impression that we could be in for an exciting climax which, of course, is their job, the reality is that this match already had stalemate written all over it.

Immediately the debate will have begun, yet again, that two days simply isn't enough to decide the biggest match on the local cricket calendar.

Whenever rain intervenes, it's the same old story.

The team that holds the cup is destined to keep it.

Despite some brilliant individual performances this year – Lionel Cann's 99, Janeiro Tucker's 75 and unbeaten 69, and Delyone Borden's six-wicket haul, there just wasn't enough time for either side to forge an outright victory.

If Cup Match were stretched to three days with play continuing on Saturday, wouldn't it be better for both the clubs and the spectators?

Cricket has always been a battle of wits. It wasn't meant to be decided by the players who can slog the most sixes in the shortest period of time.

Fans were left ducking and diving yesterday afternoon as Somerset's bats had no option but to try and smash the ball out of the ground in order to put enough runs on the scoreboard to scrape an unlikely win.

That's the tactic they had to employ if they were to hold out any hope of igniting celebrations in the West End.

Their rivals, on the other hand, had to do no more than let the clock run out, knowing that time was decidedly on their side.

That's not to say this year's classic didn't provide its fair share of excitement as it always does.

And poor St. George's skipper Cann must still be shaking his head how he managed to get out just one run short of his first-ever Cup Match century – the caught behind decision made even more agonising by the amount of time it took umpire Roger Dill to raise his finger.

But that innings, along with Thursday's early morning rain, had already ensured the cup wasn't leaving the East End for at least another year.

For Cann, that might have served as ample consolation for his failure to enter the record books by the narrowest of margins.