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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

‘T20 postponement was the right move’

Yesterday’s decision by Bermuda Cricket Board to postpone the Lindo’s T20 tournament is being applauded following a number of complaints.The competition got underway last week amid controversy with no umpires turning up for the first two games.Complaints immediately surfaced over the use of red balls and coloured clothing.Warwick pulled out before the first game was played and there were no officials on hand in the matches between Willow Cuts and PHC at Somerset Cricket Club on Wednesday night, nor in the game between Flatts at Devonshire Rec the following day.Devonshire Rec manager Dennis Williams said the decision to postpone the competition until the technical committee sat down to discuss the complaints was the right move.“It is a good idea to put the brakes on it after experiencing the first week of it, things need to be addressed,” said Williams. “Coloured clothes and red balls and not enough umpires are all issues that need to be addressed. In the match against Flatts I personally had to stand in to umpire.“How did they even schedule the T20? And the main point of the red ball really has to be looked at.“History was made with the game being played out the Rec for the first time under the lights, but the fielders couldn’t see the ball and once a set batsman was out, the new one coming in couldn’t see the ball either.”A PHC spokesman added: “There is a serious issue with the league, especially the red ball because up in Somerset in our match no one could see the ball . . . our fielders were sitting ducks.“If you want to bring back on your pace bowler you can’t out of respect for the batsman who can’t see the ball either.”After Wednesday’s match, which Cuts won by seven wickets, Dexter Basden also voiced his opinion.“The red ball favours the team batting first because at night the ball is too dark to pick up.“I think they are going to have to make a change, even the pink one they used last year was hard to pick up. I think coloured clothing would be the answer but for most teams. Maybe it is too late to make the conversion to coloured clothing because it is pretty expensive.“The answer is definitely a white ball.”