The unmistakable sounds and smells of Bermuda cricket filled the air — and at last the scorching sun came out to play — as thousands of people turned the Wellington Oval into a Cup Match party yesterday.

The two-day event may have got off to a slow start, with play almost entirely washed out by constant rain on Thursday, but it ticked all the most important boxes by the end. Even as the match approached its conclusion yesterday afternoon, with St George’s and Somerset playing out a draw, the atmosphere remained upbeat as spectators lined up to watch the game, enjoy the traditional dishes and try their luck at Crown and Anchor.

“This is Cup Match,” said St George’s supporter Jadah Outerbridge. “It’s hot, it’s sunny, you can smell the food, you can hear the game. This is Cup Match.” Ms Outerbridge said she had been put off by the wet weather on Thursday, noting it “just didn’t feel like Cup Match”.

She continued: “Maybe it was just the rain, but there just wasn’t that feeling.”

While she said she was disappointed in the St George’s performance, the day was far from a loss.

“It’s a beautiful day, everybody is here,” she said.

“It’s about more than the cricket. It’s about celebrating.”

Peter Wolffe, who is visiting the island with his family from Gloucestershire in Britain, was happy to be able to watch a bit of the game.

“I didn’t know much about it when we booked our trip, but everyone we spoke to for the last three days asked us if we were going to Cup Match, so we kind of had to,” he said.

“I love the atmosphere, I love the music. It’s very hot, but it’s a nice change of pace.”

Asked which side he was supporting, he said he leant towards the “home team”, although he conceded it did not appear things were going in their favour.

Meanwhile, Alice Grounds voiced her support for the defending champions, but added that she does not usually follow the game itself.

“This is my fourth time going to the game, and it’s always a blast,” she said. “This is just the most Bermudian time of the year.

“Everyone comes out, has fun, watches some cricket, plays some Crown and Anchor, drinks some swizzle and has a good time.

“Somerset taking the trophy home again is just icing on the cake. Red and blue icing.”

She added: “With everything that’s been going on around the island this year, it’s good to be able to relax and come together as a community.”

While the crowds were thinner than usual on Thursday, some had found the shorter lines and cooler weather a boon.

Donning the red and blue of Somerset, Kevon Adderley said: “A bit of sun would be nice, especially for the ride home, but we’ve got the music, we’ve got the Crown and Anchor, and hopefully we’ll get a bit of cricket by the end of the day.

“When I heard about Emily, I figured it was an excuse so St George’s wouldn’t have to say they lost again, but the weekend ain’t over yet.”

Another Somerset supporter, Madree Musson, joked that it always rains when Cup Match is in the East End.

“I love Cup Match. It’s a Bermuda tradition,” she said. “I have been going as long as I remember myself. It just gives you a lift and it makes you feel Bermudian. Even when it rains.

“It’s the highlight of the summer, and of course I have got to support my team.”

St George’s fan James West remarked that the wet weather had its own advantages during the first day’s play.

“I have been coming to Cup Match all my life, and I have never seen the lines for food this short. And you can walk around the pitch without much traffic.

“I’m hoping things dry up a bit so we can give Somerset the whooping they deserve, but it’s only day one.”