Owen Darrell, the sports minister, has described sportsmanship as “essential” to Cup Match.

In the wake of a number of well-documented incidents on and off the field at Wellington Oval last week, Darrell has offered the assistance of his ministry to St George’s and Somerset in the hope of maintaining the image of the game, which was seen by people around the world.

Darrell, who attended the game on both days alongside David Burt, the Premier, and a number of high-ranking officials from across the region, insists that there is no excuse for the bad behaviour displayed by players.

“Cup Match is one of Bermuda’s most cherished events, and sportsmanship is essential to preserving its integrity and spirit,” Darrell said.

“While passion and emotion are a natural part of sport, they are never an excuse for bad behaviour.

“We support sportsmanship across all sports; however, disciplinary matters related to Cup Match fall under the responsibility of the clubs, St George’s and Somerset, as they pertain to their players.

“As a ministry, we are happy to support and work collaboratively with the clubs to uphold the integrity of the Annual Classic and maintain the public image of this signature event on Bermuda’s calendar.”

Darrell is the latest high-profile figure to call for an improvement in behaviour with Cup Match legends Clarence Parfitt and Randy Horton vociferous in their condemnation of some of this year’s participants.