Barbados: More Headaches In Local Cricket (10 December 1998)

10 December 1998

Barbados: More Headaches In Local Cricket

By Philip Spooner

The Rules, Regulations, Play Conditions and Special Playing Conditions of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) continue to cause headaches.

The latest incident has occurred in the Barbados Fire & Commercial One-Day Cup competition after an appeal lodged by Cockspur Wanderers was thrown out.

Wanderers won Zone B but were stripped of their points after BCL and United Carlton protested the inclusion of Foundation physical education teacher Dennis Osbourne in the Wanderers team.

Originally the BCL and Carlton protests were upheld based on Rule 17 (C) of the BCA's Special Conditions and Regulations of Play which state: "No player taking part in any match in any competition shall play for more than one club during any one season."

It continues: "Any pupil or student of any school but not a master nor member of staff may play for a club other than his own."

Clearly this would make Osbourne ineligible.

However, Rule 15(A) of the Fire Cup Playing Conditions, which would be expected to be applied for the competition, states:

"The 1980 Code of the Laws of Cricket as amended in 1992 and the Special Conditions approved by the board of management of the BCA for local competition shall apply except where specified in these playing conditions".

In the same Playing Conditions, Rule 4(B) states: "No player shall play for more than one club in the competition."

Osbourne played for one team in the competition - Wanderers.

Their skipper, Michael Edwards, was yesterday somewhat upset about the BCA decision.

"Some of the rules appear to be jumbled and muddled," he said. "What is strange is that it appears that some of the rules were upheld and some were ignored."

When contacted yesterday, Wanderers secretary James Pierce said his club had been informed of the decision only verbally and were awaiting the details in writing.

"Our appeal had several grounds and we are waiting to see on which grounds we were turned down," Pierce said.

"We made the erroneous assumption that Osbourne was ineligible, but according to the Fire Cup rules he was eligible."

According to Pierce, the Fire Cup rules must be able to stand on their own, separate from the BCA Rules and Regulations.

"We don't want to hold up the competition or do cricket any harm," Pierce said. "All we are seeking is that decisions made are legally correct."

The issue of when the protests were lodged remains a bone of contention.

Rule 22 (5g) of the Fire Cup Playing Conditions reads: "Clubs and umpires are advised that protests and complaints affecting the outcome of matches must reach the secretariat of the BCA not later than 4 p.m. on the first working day after the incident in question. Other complaints must be submitted within five days."

"BCL lodged their protest three days after and Carlton's came approximately eight weeks after the game with Wanderers," Edwards said.

Carlton said their protest was lodged on the first working day after they were made aware of "the incident" of the BCL protest.

"The whole thing has left a bitter taste in my mouth," Edwards continued. "As a player you would be fed up that you beat teams soundly on the field, had another game washed out and then to be out of the competition."

Edwards said that he was not sure if The Management of his club would be taking the matter further but even if Wanderers were to "get back in" he would have difficulty in motivating his men.

"Right now there is not much interest in the competition - a similar thing to what happened when the President's Cup (West Indies first-class competition) was stretched out," he said.

"We have lost our momentum and our drive and would find it hard to get back in the groove right now."

The remaining quarter-final matches are expected to be played on Sunday with Carlton taking on Barbados Defence Force and BCL opposing Cable & Wireless BET.

The draw for home advantage is expected to be done at the BCA office today.

ICB Empire and ESA Field Pickwick have already qualified for the semifinals.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)