A long-standing controversy in Cup Match may finally be resolved, with the announcement that the two teams’ coaches and the third umpire will select the Most Valuable Player.

The announcement of Terryn Fray, the Somerset century-maker, as the Cup Match MVP was made immediately after last week’s match and that will be the procedure going forward, Alfred Maybury, the president of Somerset Cricket Club, confirmed yesterday.

Previously the MVP was not usually named until weeks after the annual classic. Last year’s winner, Janeiro Tucker, was never publicly announced and over the years the clubs sometimes failed to agree on the choice, such as when Travis Smith of St George’s was chosen ahead of Dennis Pilgrim of Somerset in 2002, when both were colts.

The two players showed up at the Bermuda Cricket Board office that day for the presentation when the only thing certain was that a colt would win the award for the first time. Smith was announced the winner after taking five wickets in each innings, but Somerset were of the opinion that the MVP should come from the winning team.

This year the MVP came from the winning team, with Fray, who scored 121 not out in the second innings, beating OJ Pitcher of St George’s, who scored 115 and 40, and George O’Brien who claimed eight Somerset wickets in the first innings, the first player to do so since Clarence Parfitt’s nine for 47 in 1976.

“In the past we weren’t following the Cup Match rules,’ Maybury said. “The rules are very clear in how the man of the match should be selected and who should do it.

“When we reviewed them we recognised that the coaches and the third umpire were, according to the Cup Match rules, supposed to selected the Man of the Match, so we simply went back and did what we were supposed to do.”

Maybury said that the rules governing the post-match presentation still only allows for the Cup Match trophy to be presented to the champions, though both the MVP and Safe Hands award winners were both announced. Fray will presented with the trophy at a later date.

“We want to get away from it being confusing where St George’s name somebody and Somerset name somebody,” said Maybury.

This year’s winner was chosen by coaches Jeff Richardson and Noel Gibbons, ironically the first MVP winner in 1982, and third umpire James McKirdy.

“It’s much more cohesive now and not subjected to whoever you think it should be,” Maybury added.

“Now you don’t have a situation of Somerset saying one thing and St George’s saying another because now you’ve got the third umpire who is there for the whole game and can break the tie. According to the rules the only thing that is supposed to be presented at the time is the trophy but nothing hinders us from making the announcement, just like we did the announcement for the Safe Hands. However, the trophy is the main thing, what we play for, and nothing will take away from the presentation of the trophy.

“The actual presentation of the Man of the Match will come when we hold the prize giving.”