A motion put forward by the Barbados Cricket Association’s (BCA) board of management seeking to deduct points from teams failing to submit match reports within a week has been soundly rejected by clubs.
But, the BCA’s hierarchy, in the course of a very turbulent period, says it will make the final decision ahead of the start of the 1998 domestic competitions which begin next Saturday.
Affected by problems in calculating points because of unavailability of results, the motion was brought with the intention of slapping penalties on teams which refused to send in reports at the end of each series.
The penalty proposed was a deduction of two points, but when the vote went before the clubs at a meeting on Wednesday night, only 17 of the more than 50 representatives present supported the motion.
Match reports in all divisions ask for assessments on umpires in areas such as punctuality, judgment, concentration and control of the game. They also require scores in matches.
There was mixed reaction to the motion.
New Carlton Division 1 manager Richard Stoute said he would have opted for monetary fines instead of deduction of points.
“It seems a little harsh. It is asking a bit much to deduct two hard-earned points,” Stoute told the SUN On Saturday.
“It is the players’ responsibility to go out there to play hard and win games. It is then the responsibility of club officials to send in reports.
“To take away points from players is too heavy a punishment,” added Stoute, a prominent entertainer who had the satisfaction of making his Division 1 debut a few seasons ago.
Andrew Straughn, who is to captain Intermediate Windward for the first time this season, echoed some of Stoute’s views.
“I understand the BCA’s position. The match reports are a very good idea, especially the part on the assessment for umpires.
“But to deduct points from a team could be a tricky system. If a form gets misplaced, who is to blame?” he queried.
“It may not be a bad idea to have a two-point deduction, but teams should have enough time to send in reports.”
Police Division 1 captain Leslie Reifer was one against the motion.
“There is no way I should be submitting the result of a game,” he said. “I don’t mind sending in a report on umpires.”
For several years, clubs have always expressed dissatisfaction whenever standings in the lower divisions were published in the Press. Newspapers received plenty calls from angry club members claiming that their side were not credited with the correct points.
It has been a rough month for the BCA. After all the hullabaloo over Intermediate champions Dover declining a promotion to the Premier Zone, there was more controversy earlier this week about the selection of the Barbados team for the Commonwealth Games.
And at Wednesday’s meeting, clubs were informed that there would be no prize money for the 1998 season and were unable to get a date for the presentation of awards from the 1997 season.
In making the announcement, the BCA effectively conceded that there would be no sponsorship for the upcoming Division 1 championship in spite of repeated assurances.