The transfer of spin king Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock from Western Stars to Southampton Rangers has fallen through following an administrative mix-up, can reveal.

It is understood the club failed to pay the required transfer fee of $100 to acquire Leverock?s services for the upcoming season prior to the March 31 deadline, resulting in Bermuda Cricket Board disallowing the player?s intended move to the reigning Premier League and Belco Cup champions.

?We don?t have any record of Rangers paying any money for Leverock?s transfer. The money for Sluggo?s (Leverock) transfer was not paid on time and his transfer was denied at a meeting last week,? confirmed BCB treasurer Neil Speight yesterday.

?The full Board met last Tuesday and the transfer was disapproved because no money had been received before the transfer deadline.?

However, Southampton Rangers Sports Club sports chairman Tom Wainwright claims to have paid the transfer fee earlier this year, but yesterday declined to elaborate on the matter.

?I will have to meet with my sports committee and then I will provide a statement later because this is something that I just found out this morning,? he said. ?I was waiting for Samantha (BCB receptionists Samantha Dill) to return from vacation. We went through the records but it wouldn?t be fair to make a comment at this time before meeting with my committee first.?

However, one Rangers source said: ?Somebody isn?t telling truth . . . something is wrong here.

?From the information that I have received, Tom (Wainwright) told the coach (Clevie Wade) that he paid Sluggo?s (Leverock) transfer but when he (Wainwright) came back from the West Indies he wasn?t sure who he paid the money to.

?When Clevie (Wade) asked him (Wainwright) a few weeks ago he claimed to have paid Leverock?s transfer. But something is definitely wrong here.?

When contacted yesterday, Rangers? coach Wade declined to comment, though it is understood the club will discuss the matter among others at a special meeting in the near future.

Leverock, who could not be reached for comment, created a big stir earlier this year when he announced his decision to switch to Southampton following four successful seasons at Stars.

?We really don?t know what happened here . . . we are still trying find out for ourselves what really happened,? the source added.

?Tom (Wainwright) said he has a receipt but he can?t find it. He said he will have to look for it.?

It now remains unclear what move Leverock will make ? whether he will rejoin his former team-mates at Stars or sit out the 2004 season.

?I really don?t know what Sluggo is going to do,? added the source. ?Every team would like to have Sluggo . . . but I just feel for him right now because I don?t know if Stars will want to take him back.?

Stars, meanwhile, have called a special meeting on Thursday when it is anticipated Leverock?s plight will be addressed.