resigned as secretary of the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA).

He and treasurer Madhee Shabazz handed their letter of resignation to the association just before Francis headed off to Africa with the Bermuda team on January 28.

It was in the form of one letter where they jointly revealed their intention to step down immediately from their executive positions after a period of three years. The letter was personally handed to honourary secretary-treasurer Luther Wilkin by Francis, but did not state their reasons for leaving.

Wilkin confirmed the resignations, but would reveal no further information when contacted yesterday.

One umpire who did not wish to be named said of the resignations: "Maybe they knew that they would not be re-elected during our annual general meeting at the end of the month.'' While the step taken by the two officials was not expected during the association's annual general meeting planned for the end of the month, reports are that the BCUA are not surprised by the move.

However, the resignations show that sour memories still linger from the 1993 season which began on the wrong foot with BCUA president Randall Butler being suspended indefinitely by the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control for criticising the governing body -- action taken without Butler ever being offered the courtesy of a hearing.

From the beginning of the season disputes between the two cricketing bodies escalated with Francis, who is understood to have been the only umpire the board contacted when they dealt with the Butler issue, considered by some to be aligning himself too closely with certain executives on the board.

"Everything we discussed reached them the very next day,'' said the member, who did not wish to be named.

Several umpires later became dissatisfied with the board over their failure to deal swiftly -- and at times severely -- with disciplinary matters and communication sometimes broke down.

Just after Cup Match, veteran umpire George Trott vented his anger towards the board for failing to deal with an incident during a game in which he was involved -- when he was alleged to have been abused and shoved by several St.

David's players. Trott later withdrew his services for the rest of the season.

It is understood the incident has still not been settled.

Trott was the umpire who represented Bermuda at the 1990 World Cup in Holland.

The "feud'' between the two groups escalated in December when the BCUA felt that they had been snubbed in the board's selection process of naming umpire Francis to go to Kenya and voiced their grievances during a meeting with Minister of Youth, Sport and Recreation, the Hon. Pamela Gordon.

The umpires were not upset over Francis being selected, but were bothered by the fact that the BCUA were not involved in the selection process.