The dilemma of who will stand in the middle for this weekend's cricket matches appears no closer to being resolved and is threatening to heave the sport into turmoil.

Both the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA) and the newly-formed Bermuda Cricket Umpires Union (BCUU) continued their wrangling yesterday, with each submitting to The Royal Gazette their umpires for this weekend's fixtures (see page 27).

The situation may become even more chaotic if umpires from the conflicting bodies show up at the same venue and it then has to be decided who actually performs the duties.

It seems likely clubs will then be forced to make the decision on who actually officiates in a particular match since they pay the umpiring fees.

It may well come down to the umpires the clubs have greater confidence in doing a decent job -- the BCUA, with 32 years of organisational experience on the domestic scene, or the upstart BCUU.

Seven names appear on both lists, including newly-elected BCUU president McDonald Swan, along with vice president Lester Hartnett, secretary George Francis, assistant secretary Oliver Bain and Mahdee Shabazz, treasurer.

The BCUA appear confident in their position as the best for the task and have been backed by Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation Minister Pam Gordon who said in an earlier interview that, "the BCUA is an integral part of the BCBC. They (BCBC) can't disband them unless they disband themselves.'' Gordon further noted that the department had made recommendations and did not "sanction the way they've handled the matter'' and suggested that they go and sort things out according to the constitution.

However, the latest move appears to fly in the face of Gordon's remarks.

Also, any constitutional requirements with the board are said to be dead-set on dismantling the BCUA, who have been at odds with the BCBC for the last few years.

Sources said that the long-standing rift between BCBC president Ed Bailey and former BCUA president Randy Butler -- he is now the secretary -- continued to bog down negotiations, with Bailey said to be unwilling to accept any organisation that includes Butler, widely regarded as Bermuda's premier umpire...even at the expense of Bermuda's national past-time.

Butler has clashed on several issues regarding the BCBC's handling of disciplinary matters involving umpires and these have clearly rankled the governing body -- and Bailey -- to the point where Butler was suspended for a period last season.

The situation reached a boiling point when the BCUA wrote to the ICC, criticising the local selection process that resulted in George Francis being named as Bermuda's umpiring representative at the recent tournament in Kenya, even though Butler was the only umpire known to have signed an application form.

Even the recent succession of the post from Butler to Dennis Raynor has failed to sway Bailey and the BCBC from their unrelenting position.

Meanwhile, Bailey did not return phone calls yesterday and board secretary Reginald Pearman would only say that the matter "should be sorted out (by Sunday)''.

"I can't elaborate, but steps have been take (to resolve),'' he added.

"There was a meeting on Tuesday.'' RANDY BUTLER -- At the centre of dispute.