The administrators of justice are too often too slow in meting out punishment against players that run afoul of cricketing rules and regulations.

Such is the feeling of several members of the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association, who have expressed specific concern regarding the apparent lack of action taken against four members of the St. George's Cup Match team who were recommended for disciplinary measures by match officials Roger Dill and Wilbur Pitcher.

Lionel Cann, Clay Smith, David Adams and Jason Anderson were all cited for actions unbecoming the game by Dill and Pitcher in a report dated August 10, and addressed to the presidents and selection committees of Somerset Cricket Club and St. George's. However, to date, no action has apparently been taken by the east enders, or at least none has been revealed to the umpires or public.

"The umpires in charge have sent in a report, but they (St. George's) have not so much as acknowledged the receipt of the report, even as a courtesy to the association, nor has it been revealed whether or not any action has been or is to be taken, and here we are more than a month after the fact," said Randy Butler, largely regarded as Bermuda's most qualified umpire. "It's almost like they take the report and put it in file 13, and that's not right."

St. George's president Louis (Red) DeSilva acknowledged that the umpires report had indeed been received by the club, however he refused to disclose what action, if any, had been taken against team members.

He added that the club would not be pressured into revealing details of disciplinary hearings before the relevant committee is fully prepared to do so.

"Ask them when did we receive the report and, secondly, have they contacted St. George's to find out what is going on," said DeSilva, who presided over what was a truly memorable 100th anniversary celebration of the midsummer classic. "I'm not saying anything else outside of that.

"When St. George's is ready to make a statement on that we'll make it. We make our statements as a committee, I don't make individual statements like that.

"Furthermore, if I'm a person who was concerned about that like they were - that is the umpires involved in it, not the media - what I would do is try to find out from the people that I reported to, why no actions are being taken on the reports that were given.

"Does that not sound reasonable to you?"

Further questioned as to why the process appeared to be dragging along, DeSilva drew on the analogy of the local court system, as well as the philosophy that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"Let me ask you another question. If you go to court and the case is put off for a month or two they don't usually lock you up unless it's a very serious charge don't they," began DeSilva. "A person is usually presumed innocent until proven guilty."

Meanwhile, other recommendations included the reprimanding of the entire St. George's team for excessive appealing and running towards the umpires in attempts to intimidate, and slow over rates on the part of both Somerset and St. George's.

Additionally, the umpires recommended movement should be made towards introducing sanctions to curtail team tardiness, dissent, and unsportsmanlike conduct in the form of percentage match fee deductions, and enhanced field security.