Controversy marred a First Division derby between Somerset and Willow Cuts at Somerset Cricket Club last weekend.

Somerset forfeited the match because of safety concerns when tempers flared after Cuts were sent back to bat with just two balls remaining in their innings after a mix up in the score.

Cuts reached their target of 223 but were forced to return to bat after the scorers discovered that Somerset’s first-innings total was actually 225 runs.

A fracas then ensued before Somerset decided it best to forfeit the match for safety reasons rather than resume play.

“Things were getting heated so we just thought in the best interests of everybody we conceded the match,” Michael Corday, the Somerset cricket chairman, said.

“We conceded the match because we were concerned about what may have transpired afterwards. Maybe nothing would have happened but we just didn’t want to take that chance.

“I’m hearing there were little exchanges, but I can’t speak to that because I didn’t witness any of that. I did hear there were exchanges between the Cuts players and some of our younger players.”

Dexter Basden, the Cuts coach, refuted Corday’s claim that Somerset forfeited the match because of worries over players’ safety.

“That’s not true,” he argued. “They [Somerset] gave up the game because the score on the board was 223, which we passed.

“We passed that 223 and then all of a sudden the scorer came up with two other runs. Douglas [umpire Steven Douglas] did ask about coming back on but Jordan [Somerset captain Jordan DeSilva] had declared that Willow Cuts had won.”

As for the fracas, Basden added: “It was a heated situation and there might have been a little shoving here and there.

“There was a lot of heated words being exchanged. It was a derby and when it’s a derby there’s a lot of trash talking even weeks before the game.”

Samantha Robinson, the Bermuda Cricket Board administrative assistant, said the BCB has yet to receive any report on the incident while James McKirdy, the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association president, declined to comment.

“Until such time as I meet with my colleagues and we have a chance to review the umpire’s match report I can offer no comment,” McKirdy said. “Until I see the match report I‘ve got no comment.”