Bermuda Cricket Board affiliates will have the opportunity to air their grievances over the direction of the sport at a members? meeting later this month.

The November 26 meeting, at which the Board plans to go over their plans for spending the $11 million grant given to cricket by Government last month, comes after a number of affiliates have expressed dissatisfaction with the Board?s leadership.

This week, former BCB executives joined calls for an affiliates? meeting to discuss ongoing claims local cricket?s governing body is being run like a ?clever dictatorship?.

The meeting also comes after Sports Minister Dale Butler on Monday called for the cricketing fraternity to put an end to their ?public scraps?.

A BCB spokesman, responding to complaints that the BCB had not held a members? meeting since February, yesterday explained: ?Affiliates are scheduled to meet once a year at the AGM. Only major issues would necessitate a members? meeting ? such as the one we have scheduled for November 26 to go over the $11 million and the plan forward.?

This week, Dennis Wainwright, arguably Bermuda?s best ever wicketkeeper, joined calls for a meeting of the affiliates, saying: ?I think affiliates need to meet to ask some serious questions because when Government is handing out this amount of money for cricket we can?t afford to get further down the road only to realise something should not have happened. The last thing I would like to see is any of these ongoing concerns effect our World Cup preparations.?

Wainwright said: ?Champ Hunt (former BCB president Alma Hunt) would be rolling over in his grave if he knew what sort of things were being allowed to go on today. There are a lot of allegations and speculations going about which need to be brought to the front. Therefore I think it?s time the affiliates get together and call for a meeting to clear the air and get rid of anything that is having a negative effect on the game.

?The affiliates have the power to make changes and most of all make sure that things are done right. And although I?ve always been a staunch supporter of the Board I still think all the affiliates must come together and address some concerns that are obviously out there before it has a negative impact on any long-term plans.?

Former BCB official Rudolph (Mutt) Lawrence also backed calls for an affiliates? meeting.

Lawrence, who has previously sat on various International Cricket Council (ICC) overseas development committees headed by distinguished figures such as Sir Clyde Walcott and prolific Indian Test batsman Sunil Gavaskar, has called on affiliates to ?take a stand?.

He said: ?We need to call a meeting. It?s as simple as that. Affiliates need to take a stand and call for a special meeting because Bermuda cricket is under siege by those who appear to have hidden agendas.

?They are not serving in the best interests of cricket and Reggie (BCB president Reggie Pearman) is there in name only. You don?t hear nothing from Reggie, only from Neil Speight.?

Wainwright also questioned whether or not the job of chief executive Neil Speight ? a non-Bermudian ? was advertised, how he was promoted from the elected position as treasurer to his current job and why affiliates had not been kept abreast on key issues concerning local cricket.

According to section 6c of the Board?s constitution: ?Only representatives from member organisations affiliated with the BCB are eligible for election as officers and that such persons must also be Bermudian?.

But the BCB spokesman confirmed yesterday that Speight?s job was advertised in and further disclosed the senior executive had been interviewed for the full-time position by an independent panel.

?There is no such provisions in the bye-laws for non-Bemudian restrictions,? the spokesman added.