Somerset batted for six-and-a-half hours on the final day to save themselves from sure defeat in the 98th annual Cup Match at Wellington Oval.

Facing a first innings deficit of 187, the west enders knew that only a much improved batting performance from the first day would save them from not only defeat but one by an innings. It would have been the first result by an innings since turf wickets were introduced to the Classic in 1971.

By the time the match ended at 7.05 they had secured a well deserved draw, with the crowd staying right to the end to see Janeiro Tucker become the first Somerset player ever to score a Cup Match century at Wellington Oval.

It is fitting that it should come in the last match of the century, as the Dreadlocked Destoyer completed the ton with his 14th four, a classic cover drive that was reminiscent of his father, John, a former Somerset captain. The last third of Tucker's runs came with a runner after an injury to his left knee slowed up his mobility. He just let the bat do more work.

Tucker, who took 24 off one over from St. George's captain Herbie Bascome as his 50 came up in 71 minutes, smashed 14 fours and four sixes in his innings.

His dad was pleased as he watched from the sidelines.

"It was a beautiful century, I thought he showed a lot of composure in his batting and it was one of the best centuries I've seen in a long, long time,'' said John who helped coach the Somerset team this year.

"Fruit don't fall far from the tree, he was taught by his father and I can remember when he was younger he always had a bat and a ball. That was one beautiful cover drive.'' Tucker's job was made much easier after Curtis Jackson, Dexter Basden, captain Albert Steede and Richard Basden helped lay the foundation for the recovery.

After losing Kwame Tucker in the second over to a catch behind off Clarkie Trott, Jackson and Dexter Basden added 39 for the second wicket when Jackson departed for 20.

The stand that changed the match came for the third wicket where captain and vice captain added 113 with Dexter finally falling for 77 when he played on to Mark Ray in his first over. He hit seven fours and two sixes in his best knock in Cup Match.

Albert Steede went on to score 60 before reserve fielder O.J. Pitcher took a brilliant diving catch at mid-wicket to end his innings. Richard Basden contributed 26 before Tucker, coming to the wicket with Somerset still nine runs in arrears, stealing the show and taking the wind out of the St. George's sails.

There was a flicker of hope for a St. George's victory when, with the first delivery with the new ball, Bascome had Richard Basden caught by Trott at second slip with a ball that bounced and nicked his glove.

Dwayne Leverock departed 22 runs later but there would be no further dismissals as Tucker took control. The match ended when Tucker reached his century, with 10.2 overs of the final 20 still remaining.

While St. George's were well in control on the first day, taking a 126-run lead into the final day, the biggest disappointment for the champions and their fans was Charlie Marshall's failure to reach his second Cup Match century.

The left-hander, who looked set for his first ton since his 100 not out on his debut in 1980 from the first boundary he struck, fell for 95 when Bailey's Bay teammate Irving Romaine held a sharp catch at short-leg off left armer Wendell White who had returned for a second spell at the eastern end.

The disappointment was evident on Marshall's face as he walked off, having struck seven fours and eight sixes.

Defiant Somerset stave off defeat Another St. George's batsman was denied a century late on the first evening when Lionel Cann's squashbuckling innings of 80 ended with a brilliant running catch at deep mid-wicket by Curtis Jackson off White as the two colts combined to claim the seventh St. George's wicket. Cann stroked five fours and eight sixes.

Despite losing 90 minutes due to a heavy shower at noon on the first day which caught the St. George's groundstaff unprepared with the covers, St. George's quickly made up for the lost time with Dexter Smith smashing sixes off White and his new ball partner, Leverock, in their opening overs as the left-hander hammered 19 in the first two overs.

White, however, persisted with a line outside off stump and was rewarded in histhird over when Smith nipped and got an edge for Leverock to hold the catch at first slip. Smith hit 29 of the first 32 runs in only 22 minutes.

Colt Chris Foggo only managed 11 before he was caught at mid-off by Tucker.

That allowed Mark Ray (16) and Marshall to come together in a stand that would produce 85 as the east enders took on 93 minutes to pass Somerset's modest 128.

The first St. George's 50 came in 47 minutes, the 100 in 72, the 150 in 122 and the 200 in 150 as their limited overs approach delighted the crowd. Their innings on the first day contained 18 sixes.

Somerset suffered early setbacks after winning the toss and batting first. The match was only into its third over when Albert Steede played on to a delivery from Herbie Bascome. Curtis Jackson went in Bascome's next over when he played a casual straight drive that opened his defence.

Bascome then picked up the wickets of Dexter Basden and Janeiro Tucker in his sixth and eighth overs to be 4-30 after his first 10-over spell. The St.

George's captain then returned to remove Dwayne Leverock for 27 to collect his first five-wicket haul in Cup Match.

Bascome finished with five for 52 in 17 overs while spinner Arnold Manders claimed the wickets of Romaine and White in the tailend to finish with two for 18. Clarkie Trott bowling economically to finish with one for 37 from 14 overs with six maidens while first-change Gary Brangman had one for five off 5.3 overs.

Richard Basden was the top bat for Somerset with 32 in 31 minutes before being trapped in front when attempting to hook Brangman.