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Cricket row BCB awaiting umpires report

No player has yet to be charged with bringing Sunday’s abandoned Premier Division match between Bailey’s Bay and Willow Cuts at Sea Breeze Oval into disrepute.Umpires Hector Watson and Melvin Best called off the match after several Bay players allegedly showed serious dissent over their decision to allow a disputed boundary to stand.The incident occurred in the first over of Cuts’ reply to Bay’s 240 all out.A Kyle Hodsoll delivery that brushed the pads of Chris Douglas was cut off at long leg by fielder Burton Outerbridge. But square leg umpire Watson advised his colleague that Outerbridge’s leg had touched the boundary ropes as he gathered the ball and a four was awarded to Cuts’ total.Several Bay players, including former captain Irving Romaine, were then alleged to have confronted the umpires, which eventually led to the match officials walking off the pitch.The incident was witnessed by BCB first vice-president Allen Richardson and national coach David Moore who tried in vain to have the match restarted after holding a brief meeting with the umpires and representatives from both teams.Both Moore and Richardson have declined to comment on the matter.“We are waiting on the complete reports from the umpires to be submitted,” was all Richardson was prepared to say yesterday. “I can’t talk about anything at the moment because I cannot prejudice the case in any way.”Richardson said he anticipated that the umpires’ reports would be submitted to the BCB by today.He said it will then be left to the Board to determine whether or not any Bay players would be summoned to appear before a disciplinary panel to face charges of bringing the match into disrepute.Sunday’s incident marked the second time in less than three weeks that a cricket match has been abandoned due to unruly behaviour which Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association secretary Richard Austin says will no longer be tolerated by his peers.“Players must be mindful that the umpire is not there to be the target of any abuse whatsoever,” he said. “And if the abuse continues and the umpires figure it becomes a direct threat to them then that’s the action (abandon the match) they will likely take at any time.”