This year?s recipient of the Cup Match MVP award is still unknown as the bizarre local tradition of not announcing the winner immediately after the event continues into 2004.

Somerset Cricket Club cricket chairman Anthony Bailey told yesterday that he was still awaiting delivery of a sealed envelope from the president of the Bermuda Umpires Association, Lester Harnett, who along with two other unnamed officials were this year?s adjudicators for the $1,000 prize.

?Lester told me that he would be giving me the envelope soon and I am still waiting,? said Bailey.

?Once the envelope has been handed over I will then relay that information to the clubs and then inform the media and the public.?

Asked why there had to be a delay over a decision which is almost always made at the post-match presentation ceremony in other parts of the world, Bailey?s reply was strangely ambiguous.

?I?m not sure I have a direct answer to that question,? he said.

?The clubs initially used to decide between themselves but after a bit of an incident in 2002, representatives from (then sponsors) Camel stepped in. Technically, I suppose, we could announce the MVP straight after the game but we have not progressed to that stage yet. It is also a Cup Match tradition just to present the official trophy at the closing ceremony and nothing else so I?m not sure where we would fit in the awarding of the MVP.?

The ?incident? to which Bailey was referring took place in the aftermath of Cup Match 2002 when the clubs remained in deadlock over whether St.George?s? Travis Smith or Somerset?s Dennis Pilgrim should be given the award.

Smith was eventually chosen, but only after sponsors Camel were forced to take over the adjudication process.

Meanwhile, in a move which he admits is sure to raise a few eyebrows amongst the Island?s cricketing fraternity, Bailey revealed that he would be tabling a radical change to the Cup Match format in the two clubs? summit before the Classic next year.

Bailey was responding to concerns that Cup Match officials must do more to make sure a positive result is possible over the course of the two days.

?I realise that this might cause a little bit of controversy,? he said. ?But what I will be tabling at our next meeting is that the side who bats should declare when they reach the opposition?s first innings score. That would stop side?s batting on and on, building a first innings lead and killing the game. I know there will be people who will disagree with me, but I?ll be making the suggestion nonetheless.?