Irving Romaine withdrew his name for consideration for North Village for today’s Central Counties final after concerns were raised by cup holders Western Stars over his eligibility.

Bailey’s Bay coach Romaine, who is also Village’s assistant football coach, was expected to be included in the team as one of their registered players in the Evening Cricket League, even though he is yet to play for them in that competition. With Terryn Fray and Pierre Smith both included in the team as the two allowed guest players, Romaine could not be selected as a guest player.

Western Stars selected Treadwell Gibbons and Dion Stovell as their two guests for the last match against another Evening Cricket League team, Tuff Dogs, after newly introduced rules allowed guest players to play in the competition. However, Western Stars were questioning this week whether Romaine fits into the “registered player” category.

“I don’t think I’m going to play, they are telling me I would need to unregister with Bailey’s Bay [in the BCB league],” said Romaine who had also considered playing for Bay this season in case his services were needed.

Romaine had been copied in on an e-mail between the clubs and counties which began circulating on Thursday.

“Some people in the Central Counties are saying yes I’m eligible and some people are saying no, so I don’t want to cause any confusion and will just stay on the side and watch,” Romaine said. “The Western Stars committee questioned it and cc’d the coaches. North Village put me in on it to answer some of the questions and it went from there.”

North Village joined the Central Counties two years ago, losing to Stars by 139 runs at St John’s Field in their debut in 2015. Tuff Dogs joined last year, with the two Evening League teams invited to join after the counties was reduced to just two teams following the departure from the league of Police and Young Men’s Social Club. “It’s just about being able to play cricket for North Village, they are not a cricket club so getting players to play for them is a bonus,” said the former Bermuda cricket captain who also once played football for Village. “It was just to help Central Counties come back to where they were. It was just about getting the competition up and going again.”

Romaine said he preferred not to be selected as a guest player, which would have deprived either Fray or Smith of a chance to play for the club.

“Since they are my players [at Bay] I would rather they play more cricket,” he said. “I don’t feel I should be a guest player if I’m registered with North Village and have not played for Bailey’s Bay. I can’t even remember when I registered with Bailey’s Bay.”

Village are disappointed not to be able to add Romaine to their team.

“The issue is he is registered to play for us in the Evening League, but hasn’t played,” Andrew Griffith, a team official, said. “As a coach for Bailey’s Bay, he is holding back playing for them because he is not needed. However, if the situation arises he will play for them. If he ever plays for them then he is ineligible to play in the Evening League.

The Evening Cricket League, run by Stephen West, does not come under the jurisdiction of the Bermuda Cricket Board, whose transfer policy meant that Treadwell Gibbons played for Stars as their ‘guest’ player even though he played a few games for them this season before his late transfer to Cleveland.

Arnold Manders, the Stars coach, who played for both Tuff Dogs last season and this season, had questioned Romaine’s eligibility to play for Village as an Evening League player even though he has not played for them.

“They want to play two guest players plus him,” said Manders who played the whole season last year with Tuff Dogs and then turned out for Western Stars in the Champion of Champions competition at the end of the season.

“I played for Stars in the Champion of Champions but the Evening League had already finished,” he said. “I played the last game of the season. If I play for played for Stars now all the points that Tuff Dogs have accumulated in the Evening League will be taken from them.

“I played for them [Stars] the year before but wasn’t playing in the Evening League. The Central Counties said Irving can play. I sent an e-mail back to them saying that I disagree but that I wish him and North Village good luck tomorrow if he plays.

“I have nothing against Irving, I coached him, even taught him [in school], but the rules state specifically if you are a registered player of a team in the BCB League you can only play as a guest player if you are a member of the club.”

North Village confirmed their team yesterday afternoon, captained again by Allen Walker, a former Bay player.

Team Terryn Fray (guest), Sherwin Jennings, Dion Ball Jr, Nakia Smith (vice-captain), Allen Walker (captain), Derwin Adams, Pierre Smith (guest), Michael Levon Jr, Nya Rawlings, Andrew Griffith, Sanford Seepersad, Mike Levon Sr. Manager: Randy Smith.