Top umpire Richard Austin has supported those claiming two days of Cup Match is ample time to encourage an outright victory.

A perennial debate over whether or not to include a third day reared its head again this year after St.George's and Somerset played to a draw at Somerset Cricket Club.

There are those in the community who argue a third day would greatly enhance the chances of more outright victories, while there are others, such as Austin, who share a different view.

"When you look at the overall time that is allocated to Cup Match, it's more than enough time to get a result in two days. I think a little more time management might be the key here," Austin said.

"Time-wise, I think a result can be achieved, but that is all up to the captains who are the ones that set the tone."

Earlier this week club presidents Richard Scott (Somerset) and Neil Paynter (St.George's) both shot down a proposal to extend the classic to a third day.

St.George's chief Paynter argued that the onus was on the challengers (Somerset) to force a result.

Umpire Austin agreed, but preferred not to dwell on both team's tactics in this year's classic.

"That's for the captains (Jacobi Robinson and Lionel Cann) to assess; where they might've went wrong and stuff like that," he said.

That aside, Austin described his first Cup Match standing in the middle as an "experience of a lifetime".

"The experience is definitely one that will last a lifetime because of the nature of the game and its meaning to the Bermuda cricket calendar," he said.

"Week in and week out cricket doesn't have the same emotion to it or the feeling, but Cup Match is something special. There was more emotion to Cup Match than when Bermuda played Scotland in the Intercontinental Cup (last month)."

Austin recieved the nod this year after colleague Steven Douglas had to step aside when his son, Chris Douglas, was selected in Somerset's team.

"A set of circumstances happened that got me in the middle this time. I was glad to be out there and for me personally there was no great deal of pressure," Austin continued. "Aside from the match being a draw, there were some performances that stood out such as Lionel Cann, who was unfortunate to be dismissed on 99. With a Cup Match now under his belt, Austin is now hopes to take his game to the next level.

"Any step I can take to move forward, by all means I will take it," he said. "I just want to keep plying my trade and commit myself to umpiring locally and within the region (Americas)."