St. George's Cricket Club are moving to avert bad blood between themselves and St. David's by apologising for a letter appearing in the newspaper from one of their players.

St. David's president Wilbur Pitcher confirmed his club's secretary received a letter from St. George's on Thursday after St. David's had written to their eastern neighbours expressing displeasure with the contents of a letter by Gregg Foggo which appeared in The Royal Gazette on May 17.

"The letter in the paper had negative allegations about the fans, players and the club's committee," declared Pitcher, when asked the reason for their discontent.

Foggo's letter related to the controversial May 11 match between the two teams in which St. George's spinner Travis Smith was stopped from bowling an illegal 11th over after two balls. The seven runs scored from those deliveries were deducted and proved decisive as St. George's won by one run, with St. David's being dismissed for 171 in reply to the opposition's 172 for nine.

Terming Foggo's letter "offensive", Pitcher said: "People felt a way about it. Plus he was a player too. If that letter had come from the spectators some people wouldn't have even bothered."

Reliable sources indicated that if St. George's had failed to apologise it could have resulted in the club being banned from using Lord's - St. David's ground - for their home matches while their own ground, Wellington Oval, is under repair.

Pitcher denied any such threat was issued, noting the club management would have had to decide what action was appropriate if no apology was forthcoming.

"We haven't said anything like that. We just sent them a letter looking for a public apology. We want them to let the public know they apologised because they went to the public (with the first letter), it was not a letter just coming from them to us. They went to the Press."

Now that St. David's have an apology in hand, their hierarchy are scheduled to meet tomorrow morning to discuss the situation.

St. George's president Neil Paynter was evasive when confronted about the matter and its possible ramifications.

"You would have to ask St. David's if they sent a letter. I am not privy to any information right now."

When asked if St. David's had threatened to prevent St. George's from using Lord's for home matches, Paynter replied: "You would have to ask St. David's about that. I have no problem with St. David's. If St. David's have a problem with us using their ground you would have to ask St. David's . . . I don't know how they feel about us."

Foggo - who was stand-in captain in the match - was surprised when told about the situation but was adamant he would not be taking back his words.

"I haven't heard anything about that. Nobody has said anything to me at all . . . What I wrote in the letter was straightforward. I didn't run down anybody or anything like that. I just spoke what I felt. It was my opinion.

"It was not directed at anybody but if that's what they want to do, I don't have any gripe with that. If they want to take their field away, so be it.

"I'm not apologising for anything at all. I haven't done anything wrong. If I thought I did wrong I would be the first person to apologise."

His uncle, Lewis Foggo, a member of St. George's executive committee, said he knew of St. David's request for an apology but declined to discuss the issue.

"I really don't know too much about it. Whatever letter was drafted was sent to Neil . . . I have heard about it (but) Neil is really dealing with it so I couldn't comment on it."

Meanwhile, Pitcher, who is a qualified umpire, said his main contention in the match was that Law 22 in The Laws of Cricket was not upheld.

"Law 22 states `an over must be completed unless a player is incapacitated or injured'. The (limited-over) regulations say `no bowler shall bowl more than ten overs' but it doesn't tell me, if he does 11 (overs), what I do.

"So I am going back to my law book which says an over that starts must be completed."