SVGCA batting on a sticky wicket

The Executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) is facing a barrage of verbal bouncers for its decision to include the News Spartans at this late stage of the National Lotteries Authority Neil Williams T/20 Competition.{{more}}

News broke last Wednesday that Spartans was in, despite the competition nearing the quarter-final stage.

This did not sit well with some teams, who, in a show of disapproval, did not show up last weekend to face Spartans, thereby giving the new entrants easy wins.

On Saturday, Spartans were set to meet Smashers at the Buccament Bay Playing Field, and on Sunday morning, they were to meet Victors One at Arnos Vale Two.

However, Eat Rite Saints broke the trend and engaged Spartans on Sunday afternoon at the Arnos Vale Two Playing Field.

Manager of Victors One Venold Coombs told SEARCHLIGHT hours before their scheduled match that his team was taking a principled stand.

“It is ridiculous, unprincipled, unprecedented and only brings the game of Cricket into disrepute,” Coombs said.

“Wherever in the world do you hear of a team coming in a competition after it has reached the quarter final stage?” Coombs questioned.

Coombs, who has managed Victors for most of the team’s thirty-nine years of existence, said that his team had already qualified for the last eight of the competition; hence their decision to not turn up, was based on “principle”.

The competition bowled off on February 11, with twelve teams drawn in two groups. Going into last weekend’s round of matches, some teams had already completed their quota of five matches, and were awaiting their quarter finals opponents.

SEARCHLIGHT was informed that Spartans had paid the $300 in cash for the T/20 competition, and was awaiting the details of the scheduling of their matches.

SEARCHLIGHT also obtained a copy of the receipt dated February 11, 2012, which shows a total of fifteen hundred dollars was paid to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association. The receipt showed the breakdown of the payment as $300 for the NLA Neil Williams 20/20 competition; $700 as registration to the NLA Premier Division Competition; $200 as affiliation fee; and the other $300 for Injury Benefit Fund.

Meanwhile, Manager of the Spartans outfit Dave Stapleton told SEARCHLIGHT last Sunday that it was imperative that they play in the competition.

“One of the things why we are standing up for our youngsters, if when they (selectors) are picking their 20/20 team, they are going to leave our youngsters out,” Stapleton reasoned.

“We have a commitment to our sponsors who have been sponsoring us for more than twenty years now, so what are we going to do, just stand back and leave our youngsters out because of a mistake made by the Cricket association? We are standing up for our rights,” Stapleton ended forcefully.