by HAYDN GILL

A DIVISION I CRICKET MANAGER is up in arms after missing out on the opportunity to have a young, promising player lining up for his club this season.

Maradon Bend, a prolific scorer for St Lucy Secondary in last year's Goddard Enterprises Schools Competition, was recruited to CGI Maple by former captain Pedro Agard and was named in their squad last Thursday to face Banks in the opening match of the 2008 Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division I competition that started last Saturday.

On the eve of the beginning of the season, a turn of events led to Bend withdrawing from the Maple side and being drafted into the intermediate team of Guardian General Barbados Youth.

It has left Maple manager Barrington Yearwood Sr. hugely disappointed at the outcome.

"If Benn plays intermediate when he could be playing first division cricket, it is a travesty," Yearwood said.

"Here it is that the BCA is trying to get schools' cricket to play on Fridays so that these guys would be available for club sides. We have coaches doing something completely different from what the BCA is trying to do. I don't understand what is happening."

Bend enjoyed an outstanding season last year and walked away with two awards at the BCA's awards ceremony at the Amaryllis Beach Resort last Friday night.

He was the leading run-scorer in the Goddard Enterprises Schools Competition with 515 runs and he was also the top wicket-keeper with 16 dismissals.

Under the special conditions and regulations for the 2008 BCA season, a student can play for a club other than his school and can also choose to play for his school.

If he opts to play for a club, the club must obtain a letter from the school granting the student permission to represent the club.

"The rules are quite flexible. The rules are no problem. It is those people we have who have been around schools' cricket for a long time and the influence they have on the young players," Yearwood said.

"The guy could have played for Maple. If he does well and the schools need him to play for the them [later in the season], he can go right on and play for the schools.

"It is not about him playing for Maple. I had no grouse if he was picked for the Combined Schools Division I side, but to play Intermediate and prove himself . . . nonsense, utter foolishness."