Somerset's hopes of qualifying for next year's Belco Cup were rekindled yesterday after Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that the fourth and final spot in the Premier Division standings has yet to be established.

It was initially understood that Belco Cup holders Southampton Rangers had pipped Somerset in the race for qualification to next season's competition - involving the top four teams in the Premier Division from the previous season - on head-to-head meetings between the two clubs.

But with both sides having split this season's league series and finishing level on points (16) the fourth and final Belco Cup will now have to be decided on net run rate, BCB chief executive Neil Speight said.

"The fourth and fifth positions in the Premier Division are not yet final. We are currently going through all 15 games both teams have played to ensure we can calculate the net run rate without dispute. And as soon as we have that confirmed we will make an announcement," he added.

Both sides entered last weekend's final round in need of an outright win in order to secure Belco Cup qualification for next season but lost to Cleveland County and newly crowned Premier Division champions Social Club respectively.

And according to Digicel One Day League regulations: "In the event of the teams finishing on equal points the position in the league will be decided by the most wins or when teams have both equal wins and points, the team which was the winner of the match played between them will be placed in the higher position, or, if still equal, the higher net run rate."

Somerset defeated Rangers in the first league encounter at Somerset Cricket Club with the latter avenging that loss in the return fixture at Southampton Oval earlier this month.

With victory over Social Club in this summer's Belco Cup final, Rangers joined St. George's as the only teams to have won the coveted title three years on the trot. However, following the Board's announcement yesterday, Rangers' bid for a fourth successive title now hangs in the balance.

• Meanwhile, nearly two months have passed and no Cup Match MVP has yet to be officially announced.

This year's rain-hit classic ended in a predictable draw with champions St.George's retaining the cup.

St. George's trio Clay Smith (62), Chris Foggo (59) and last year's award recipient OJ Pitcher (94) all hit splendid half -centuries, as well as Somerset's Janeiro Tucker (87) and Dean Stephens (57) who also shared in the classic's second highest fifth-wicket partnership (143 runs).

Veteran batsman Smith also joined elder brother Wendell and St.George's team-mate Charlie Marshall this year as the only players to have scored 1,000 runs in the classic.