Thursday, March 28, 2024

BCL: Howzat?

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THE Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) has to answer another appeal from another disgruntled club.
And if the appeal is successful, it could lead to the promotion of BRC Barbados Cricket League (BCL) to next season’s Division 1 competition ahead of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF)
In a ruling earlier this month, the BCA’s complaints and disputes committee found BCL guilty of covering the pitch for their fifth-round Upper Intermediate match against J.O. Building Yorkshire at Blenheim ‘A’ on August 21, 28 and September 4.
BCL had won the match by ten wickets but the points were forfeited after it was deemed they had breached Regulation 7 (b) of the Special Conditions of Regulations of Play which states that: “The pitch and bowler’s run-up shall not be covered before the start of, or during, a match, except in semi-finals and finals, when the board shall decide, or in any other competition where specified in the Special Conditions and Regulations.”
When contacted yesterday, BCL president Glyne St Hill told WEEKENDSPORT an appeal had been lodged and an acknowledgement received from by the BCA.
“We are appealing because we feel the decision is against   the evidence and Yorkshire failed to satisfy the burden of proof,” St Hill said.
“We were disappointed that the decision went against us based on the evidence that was produced.”
After Yorkshire filed their protest, the complaints and disputes committee met on December 1 and 6 and heard submissions from representatives of both teams, as well as witnesses called by the teams.
In making the ruling, the committee found that the evidence produced by Yorkshire stood up to scrutiny, the photographs produced by Yorkshire as evidence were a true representation of conditions at material times and the BCL expert was unable to discredit the photographic evidence provided by Yorkshire.
BCL lodged their appeal on December 13, two days after the final round of matches in the Upper Intermediate competition.
They finished in third place on 29 points with the BDF emerging as winners on 36 points and earning promotion to the LIME Division 1 competition for next season.
If BCL’s appeal is successful, they will be credited with eight points, move one point ahead of BDF and be in line to return to Division 1.
Both BCL and BDF, along with Bristol, were demoted from Division 1 last season in the first year of the promotion/relegation system.
Bristol finished eighth of ten teams in the Upper Intermediate this season and will be demoted to the Intermediate along with Valrico Foods Conrad Hunte Sports Club and Central.
The appeal by the BCL is the second the BCA has received at the tail end of the domestic season.
Sagicor UWI also submitted an appeal after the complaints and disputes committee dismissed their protest over the ball used by BNB St Catherine in their Sagicor General Cup semi-final match at Bayfield on December 12.
BCA cricket operations manager Rollins Howard said yesterday no date had yet been set for hearing either appeal.

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