Behaviour at schools’ cricket finals peeves organizers

Participants in the Massy United Insurances Under-21 Secondary Schools Cricket finals have been advised to “shape up or ship out.”

Issuing this warning was organizer of the tournament Stanley Hinds, as he spoke at the closing ceremony last Thursday at the Park Hill Playing Field, following the finals between the Georgetown and the Sandy Bay Secondary Schools.{{more}}

Hinds, in reference to two unsavoury incidents, which threatened the security of the match, stated: “We must pay respect to the sponsors who have put the jerseys on your backs and each of you must understand the importance of discipline…. I mince no words and the teachers and principal of Sandy Bay (Secondary) School must realize that it is a game…. They must abide by the rules and laws of the competition.”

He chided the Sandy Bay players for their inefficiencies on the field when Georgetown Secondary batted, as they were guilty of several drop catches and poor fielding.

Hinds, who is the chief organizer of the competition and who was the scorer on the day, at one point during the match, had to intervene, as two players from each team were involved in a verbal altercation on the field.

This was the first of two incidents that caused some supporters of the Sandy Bay Secondary to enter the field and cause a delay in the match.

The second and the more threatening incident came from a misinterpretation of the rules of the competition, as the two batsmen from the Sandy Bay Secondary who were at the wicket at the time were instructed by some supporters to come off the field.

They adhered to some extent, but after several pleas, returned to complete the match, as this interruption, which held up the match for close to half an hour, forced organizers to summon members of the local constabulary from the Colonarie Police Station.

Lending her voice of disgust to unfolding of events was education officer with responsibility for physical education and sports in the Ministry of Education Rosmund Griffith.

“When you display ill-discipline, it will be displayed by all your children and I am quite disappointed with the parents of the students of the Sandy Bay Secondary School,” Griffith declared, as she addressed the closing ceremony.

Whilst no definitive sanction has come from the organizers, the Sandy Bay Secondary School was not presented with the runner-up trophy and medals.

On hearing that they would not be presented with their team awards, some players of the Sandy Bay Secondary left the closing ceremony prematurely. However, Sealron Williams, who copped the most wickets in the competition, was given his reward.(RT)