Bermuda?s sporting community are expressing revulsion at the ugly series of confrontations between players which marred last week?s Cup Match.

In the wake of Somerset and St. George?s cricketers and officials arguing, storming the pitch amid a controversial run-out and engaging in a spitting-and-punching scenario, a former national skipper and coach has called for a sweeping range of punishments to be swiftly handed out to offending parties.

?The players need to be reprimanded and dealt with severely. There?s a Players? Code of Conduct and a lot of players in this match should be brought up on charges for various incidents.

?They need to be disciplined. It?s not right. It?s not right for the game. It doesn?t send good signals to the young players who are coming along,? declared Allan Douglas from his vantage point square of the wicket.

?There were even national squad players running on the field and brandishing bats and acting up. What?s it for and what have they gained from it?

?It?s just not cricket and until it?s dealt with seriously we?re going to continue seeing things like this.?

Sports Minister Dale Butler was equally aghast following the nasty incident between Stephen Outerbridge and fast bowler George O?Brien jr on the second afternoon, the latter letting loose with a solid punch to Outerbridge?s face after the dismissed Somerset batsman spat at him en route to the pavilion.

?What is happening in Bermuda is that we?re losing respect for each other. We?re losing civility in certain parts of society and now we?re losing the dignity that existed in sport.

?Cricket was always known as a dignified sport ? the gentleman?s game. It?s unfortunate this incident took place and as the Sports Minister I?m very disappointed with this type of behaviour,? said Butler, noting it was ironic that given match security at Wellington Oval that it was players who needed to be restrained.

Regarding the on-field face-off between the teams after Curtis Jackson?s controversial run-out, he agreed that too was ?very disappointing? and urged the relevant authorities to take action.

?I?m sure the BCB (Bermuda Cricket Board) as well as the various clubs and certainly the spectators were most concerned.

?I?m sure the clubs will take another look at how they select players and the BCB will have to increase the number of seminars that clubs have to send teams to so players are aware of the rules and to look at whether or not any type of anger management is required regarding players? conduct on the field.

?One of the things we must guarantee with our World Cup team is that they have training sessions with the Island?s umpires so they will know all the rules,? stressed Butler, regretting such bad behaviour following the recent hype over the Island?s qualification for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Administrators, added Douglas, must take a stance at this juncture and he called for an enhanced disciplinary structure.

?We as administrators need to put our feet down and deal with this quickly, be firm and put the right things in place.

?I?m assuming there?s a Match Referee here because there needs to be one. If you had a Match Referee in place all this stuff would have been dealt with,? he stated.

Somerset player Saleem Mukuddem, who is also a member of the BCB?s Technical Committee, outlined a series of suggestions which he believes would bring vast improvements to the feature game, including neutral umpires from overseas and punishments and fines as warranted.

?We should get umpires from ICC (International Cricket Council) Associate-member countries and appoint a Match Referee. Both the players and umpires need to be subject to the ICC?s Code of Conduct and there should be penalties and fines for anybody who steps out of line,? elaborated Mukuddem.

?I think if we can get those four things sorted out before the next Cup Match, it would be great.?

BCB president Reggie Pearman only watched the first few hours of Cup Match but listened to much of the rest of it via radio ? and he wasn?t pleased with what he heard.

?From what I heard, I don?t think the spirit of the game was adhered to at all,? he said, lamenting such a grim turn of events in the post-ICC Trophy euphoria.

?The spirit we had from World Cup qualification was lost and I think this damaged the high that we?ve been on in cricket and, yes, I?m disappointed.?

Pearman stressed, however, that the BCB could only take disciplinary action regarding Cup Match ?if the clubs see fit to pass the matter on to us, if the reports are forthcoming?.