The Lindo’s T20 final between Western Counties sides Southampton Rangers and Willow Cuts is unlikely to be played this season because of safety concerns, Neil Speight, chief executive of the Bermuda Cricket Board, revealed yesterday.

The match was scheduled for last Sunday at Somerset Cricket Club, but a shooting incident on Saturday evening just hours after the two semi-finals at St David’s forced the BCB to call off the match on advice from police. Cricketers in a car travelling along South Road near The Fairmont Southampton were shot at by two men on a bike.

Police launched an immediate investigation and deemed it unsafe to hold the match the next day. The final would have been the final match in the 2014 domestic season. Now, with football entering its third weekend and grounds closed for football, including at Somerset, the match is not likely to be held this season. The BCB will go ahead its their prize presentation on October 11.

“I spoke to the Bermuda Police Service yesterday and their advice is not to hold the event, so it is definitely not coming up this weekend,” Speight said. “We won’t even consider holding it until we get conformation from them that it is safe to do so.

“It is a big event that needs to get proper billing. They advised there is still a risk.”

Speight is aware of the potential negative impact such an incident can have with a sponsor. “We want cricket to bring good things to a partnership with a sponsor and not negative things,” he said. “It is not ideal that we cancel a final, but it is certainly less ideal to go ahead and schedule a final in risky circumstances.

“We value them [sponsors] and wouldn’t want to take any risks with them getting full value for their investment in cricket.”

The only two likely venues to host the final this season are Sea Breeze Oval and the National Sports Centre. “It is looking less than likely that it will happen this year,” Speight added. “When we get clearance [from Police] we could say can we host it at Bailey’s Bay or can we host it at National Stadium and that is something we will look at and talk to the sponsors about so as to give the final the type of billing it deserves.

“It’s a major domestic competition and I know the players are keen to play the game and the fans want to see it. It should be an exciting game when we get around to playing it. It’s sad that we come to the awards ceremony next weekend and one award can’t be given out.”

Willow Cuts earned their place in the final by defeating holders St David’s by three wickets in a close match while Rangers thrashed Bailey’s Bay by five wickets in the other semi-final at St David’s.

Ricky Brangman, the Rangers coach, was looking forward to playing in the final and possibly winning another trophy.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said yesterday. “I thought it would have been a good game on Sunday. Willow Cuts are a good team and they have beaten us. It would have been good to get one over them. Both teams were looking to finish the season off with a trophy.

“We had a team meeting and the guys are disappointed; they wanted to get the season over and done with. Nobody’s complaining, the Board and the police are doing what they have to do.”

The Lindo’s T20 final was due to be preceded by the BF&M Under-17 All-Star Game.