The Division One title of the 2004 Cable and Wireless National Netball Club Tournament is yet to be decided.
A date is the hands of the Fixtures Committee of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association.
In what was to be the virtual decider last week Thursday between Vita Malt Maples and Pine Hill Buddy Pack Mitres, ended prematurely. {{more}}
The abrupt halt came two minutes and two seconds into the last quarter, with Maples in the ascendancy at 42-30.
An object was thrown in the direction of umpire Godfrey “Fuzzy” Harry, who was officiating on the southern end of the Kingstown Netball Centre.
In an emotionally charged atmosphere, other objects were thrown earlier towards Harry, but the last one was the most threatening.
Harry later confirmed that none of the objects hit him.
It was then that Harry and the other official, Michelle Guy, called a halt to proceedings.
According to Harry: “I took the players safety and that of mine into consideration.
“On that night, netball was the loser and ignorance the winner,” Harry bemoaned.
Also this country’s senior netball coach, Harry revealed that contrary to opinions expressed on the night, he does not “favour” any of the teams.
Harry is also the coach of TRAC-a Division One team.
On hand were several executive members of the association, including President Doris McIntosh. Guy is also the Association’s first vice president.
Efforts were made to restart the match, with the 12 minutes and 58 seconds remaining. However, this did not materialize.
McIntosh expressed “sorrow” at the turn of events that night. The president, recently installed to that position, put it down to “poor knowledge on the part of spectators of the rules of netball.
“It was little, or nothing, we could have done in that situation,” she remarked.
However, she promised security personnel in future matches of this nature.
She said in a tone of sadness that last week Thursday’s events were least expected at a netball function.
When the final minutes were played, Maples seemed more likely to take that title as their main rival, Mitres, was beaten 57-52, last Sunday by last year’s winners C and R Enterprises Sion Hill.
Maples now remains the only unbeaten team, and if Mitres is to pull back the 12-goal deficit, Maples still has a superior goal difference.
The 2004 tournament began March 7 and it’s set to conclude later this month, a few days before the start of the ECGC OECS Champion of Champions Club Competition.
This competition is slated for May 28 – June 1, here.
C and R Enterprises Sion Hill will represent S.V.G.