CUP Match has seen many batsmen put up formidable scores at the crease, but the classic's most enduring stand might well be occurring off the pitch.

VSB radio's C.V. (Jim) Woolridge, "The Voice of Summer", has been calling Cup Match for 37 years and doesn't see his streak ending any time soon.

"This is something that I hope to do as long as the good Lord puts breath in my lungs," said Mr. Woolridge. "I did my first broadcast nearly 38 years ago from the St. David's School square with the wicket and I've never looked back."

Mr. Woolridge's idea to broadcast the entire game on the radio grew out his own love for the game.

"I used to play Eastern County Cricket down in Flatts," Mr. Woolridge said. "When I stopped playing the game I realised that many of the people who work to make this country what it is were not able to enjoy Cup Match.

"As director of marketing at ZBM in the 1960s, I decided that I would build a structure to make a broadcast of the entire classic possible.

"Before that, ZBM only brought one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening of Cup Match to Bermudians. You can just imagine the amount of water that went under the bridge in the interim."

Mr. Woolridge followed the classic long before he ever sat behind a microphone.

"Originally, the players came from beyond the two bridges, Somerset Bridge and the swing bridge in St. George's," said Mr. Woolridge. "Now the better players from around the island are selected to play for each side.

"This is fitting because the match has become a national event, something that benefits everyone, not just the Somerset and St. George's."

Cup Match is only one of several cricket events that Mr. Woolridge commentates on.

"I not only cover Cup Match but the three Eastern Counties, the four Western Counties, the Central Counties, the Champion of Champion, the Belco Cup, all the major games plus all the matches with touring sides that come in," said Mr. Woolridge.

For Mr. Woolridge the annual classic never loses its allure.

"It is something that I look forward to and enjoy every year," said Mr. Woolridge. "If you enjoy doing something this much you can't help but give all your all to it.

"There were around 15,000 people crammed into the Somerset cricket club grounds last year. The game was very closely followed. Most notably in the dying stages of the second day when the game became very exciting and Somerset ended up winning the Cup over St. George's . . . those experiences are what keep the classic interesting for me."

Mr. Woolridge comes back every year for more than just the cricket.

"I personally enjoy it because it brings me a sense of satisfaction," said Mr. Woolridge, who faces competition from the ZBM commentary team. "I have found that there is no greater sense of satisfaction than being of service to a fellow man. I can go down to the hospital and people say, 'Voice of Summer, I hope you'll be bringing me the game this year.' It is a nice feeling.

"I bring the game to the sick, the shut-in, the people who do shift work, people out on their boat or just people at home. Even the people sitting at game have radios with them and are listening to my commentary.

"I try to bring it as clear and simply as possible so that the people at home can enjoy the game and understand it fully. Not just the technical points but I try to embrace the atmosphere and the colourful events so that they can have in their mind's eye a real picture of what the what I'm describing."

Mr. Woolridge's has seen many of Bermuda's cricket greats dominate on the pitch but could not say what he felt was the single most memorable moment of his long career.

"I couldn't say for sure but one that comes to mind is the year in St. George's at the Wellington Oval when St. George's put up a rather formidable opening score," said Mr. Woolridge.

"Nigel Hazel and Austin Simons established themselves as some of the most prolific batsmen Bermuda has ever seen by putting forth a magnificent opening. They hit every ball for either a four or a six. Hazel went for 99 and Simons was 70. It was an amazing opening stand that I will never forget.

"One other player that comes to mind is Clarence Parfitt. He was without a doubt Bermuda's most outstanding bowler. People often suggest a three-day Cup Match but when Parfitt was playing it was hard to make the game last two days. He was so effective. He could just mesmerise the batsmen. He was wonderful to watch. His statistics of nine for 42, eight for 23, seven for 18 and seven for 20 are unmatched today in Bermudian cricket.

"I look forward to seeing the likes of him again in my time.

"In 2001 we had a great showing from Janeiro Tucker, who registered the highest score in Cup Match history with 186 not out. We have seen players score over 100 on numerous occasions in the last 20 years. Wendell Smith, Clevie Wade, Clay Smith, Albert Steede, Mark Ray and Glenn Blakeney have all scored centuries since 1983. Arnold Manders and Janeiro Tucker have both done so twice. I saw all those innings and I hope to see many more."

The game of cricket is special to Mr. Woolridge and he would like to see Bermuda become more competitive in the international arena.

"At one time Bermuda was well ahead of teams like Bangladesh, who now enjoy Test status," said Mr. Woolridge. "I long for the day that our young people will buckle down and we can recapture the kind of cohesiveness and spirit of sportsmanship that we had in that era. The talent is there it just needs to be harnessed."

The value of the sport goes beyond the pitch, according to Mr. Woolridge. "I have always said cricket is the greatest character-building sport there is. The more people that are involved in this healthy, competitive sport the better the country will be.

"It takes discipline, self-restraint and patience. This makes it a very dignified sport. The great masters who created it referred to it as a gentlemen's sport and it is. Not everybody who is involved can be a Test match player or a Cup Match player but if everybody could be exposed to the principles that the game is governed by, we would have a wonderful community."

This attitude is part of what fuels Mr. Woolridge's commitment to the sport.

"Throughout the Cup Match weekend people enjoy the beauties of their own little island, whether they are out on a boat, on the beach or just at home," said Mr. Woolridge. "Cup Match is part of that appreciation for our home and I try to make it available to as many Bermudians as I can."