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Outerbridge hits out at BCB

Bermuda national team skipper Stephen Outerbridge.

Willow Cuts 216-7Bailey’s Bay 156National team and Bailey’s Bay captain Stephen Outerbridge has lashed out at Bermuda Cricket Board, claiming they have allowed the standard of the game to drop.And if it gets any worse, he said, Bermuda could find themselves playing in Division Seven of the World League.Outerbridge’s comments came after his team had suffered a controversial third loss in five league matches, severely hurting his team’s chances of retaining the Premier Division title.Willow Cuts’ 60-run win was marred by a incident late in the Bay innings when a confident appeal for a catch behind against Rodney Trott was turned down by umpire Oscar Andrade off Malachi Jones’ bowling.Jones was so upset with the decision that he walked off the field and had to be persuaded by his captain Dwight Basden to return.“I talked to the umpires (Andrade and Stephen Douglas) and they acted like nothing happened,” said Outerbridge after the match.“That’s what is allowed in cricket, the (Bermuda Cricket) Board have dropped their standards so the umpires have dropped their standards. I’ve already told my team that at the rate we’re going Bermuda will be playing in Division Seven (World League) in the next five years. At the end of the day you can’t play sports like that. Willow Cuts won the match and I’ll be going to work tomorrow.”Outerbridge had expressed his disappointment at the restructuring of the league prior to the start of the season, saying one league would not help to develop cricket. He pointed the blame at cricket’s administration.“As the national captain I’ve been disappointed since the start of the season,” he said. “The Board sent me away to school to learn sport and then nothing is done with the knowledge that I’ve gained which is another disappointment that I have.“I’m national captain and I know that what has been done is going to affect that team. I know where the game is heading.”Both umpires were seen taking notes after the incident at White Hill which came in Jones’ second spell with Bay still needing 104 from 14 overs for an improbable victory. After Jones bowled Ryan Steede to end a partnership with Trott worth 45, new batsman Cal Dill survived a confident first ball lbw appeal off Jones. In Jones’ next over he and his team-mates thought they had Trott caught behind by Chris Foggo but Andrade turned it down. Emotions spilled over as Cuts players surrounded Trott.Ironically, it was Cuts who had three lbw decisions in their favour, including one off the first ball of the innings when Jones trapped Outerbridge. Number three bat Tre Manders, making his league debut for Bay, also fell to an lbw decision in the next over when Kamal Bashir caught him in front of his wicket.At five for two and then 20 to for three, Bay were in early trouble and never mounted a serious attempt at the 216 posted by Cuts in their 50 overs.Bay were mostly just occupying the crease and batting out the overs, as some tight bowling by Cuts kept them in control. Bay’s 100 came up after 33 overs, leaving them to score another 117 at seven runs an over.Rodney Trott offered some resistance with 44 which came from 92 balls while opener Sinclair Smith tried to mend the early damage with 22 off 48 balls. Ryan Steede added 16 in the middle order before Kyle Hodsoll brought some late excitement with 25 not out.Bashir was the pick of the Cuts bowlers with four for 40 from eight overs while Jones took two for 23 off eight and Deunte Darrell two for 22 off 5.1 overs. Spinners Kevon Fubler and David Adams took a wicket each, giving up 34 and 28 runs respectively.Earlier Dexter Basden was high man for Cuts with 52 off 75 balls with five fours and two sixes while Chris Foggo scored 30 from 40 balls and Malachi Jones 25. Cal Dill too four for 49 off eight overs of spin, while Ryan Steede took two for 42.“We didn’t get any decisions in our favour but they happened to get theirs from the first ball of the innings,” said the Bay captain. “We’ve had three losses now and you only play the top teams once. My thought is that if you don’t win against the top teams you don’t win the league.”If we don’t win the league it is not the end of the world. We’ll go back and train on Tuesday and Thursday and try to be better. I know a lot is expected of us from what we did last year but you can’t win all the time.”Warwick 210-9Devonshire 213-7Devonshire Rec picked up their first win of the season at Southampton Oval, beating Warwick by three wickets in a match between the two bottom teams.Lamar Caines scored 57 not out and Steven Bremar added 36 as Devonshire chased down the 210 Warwick posted in their 50 overs.Warwick’s player-coach Lionel Cann was their top bat with 74 from seven fours and three sixes while Jade Darrell hit six fours and two sixes in his 64 as the pair helped Warwick recover from 70 for four with a fifth wicket stand of 77.After Cann dismissal, Darrell, batting at number six, completed his half-century and helped his team post the 200 before he was ninth out before the overs ran out.Three Devonshire bowlers took two wickets: Jadi Maronie two for 40, Lamont Brangman two for 44 and Keniel Wallen two for 44. Kani Darrell led the Warwick bowling with two for 39 as they tried unsuccessfully to defend their total.** Captain Oronde Bascome scored 93 not out of a St. George’s total of 214 for six declared and Lionel Cann hit 44 as St. George’s beat St. David’s by 58 runs in a trial match on Saturday at Lord’s.George O’Brien led the St. David’s bowling with three for 33 from 15 overs with four maidens. St. David’s replied with 156 as Chris Douglas scored 68 and McLaren Lowe 31. Lateef Trott claimed four for 43 from 11 overs for St. George’s.