Unruly Windwards Players Banned

Sat, Jul 26, '03

The organizing committee of the recently inaugurated Ed Ahmad New York Caribbean Cricket Cup has take a very strong stand against misconduct by several players who violated the agreed upon "rules of engagement and codes of conduct" in the tournament.

In response to incidents occurring in two of the matches held on July 12, the committee enforced the maximum penalty - banning two players from participating in the remainder of the 2003 tournament, suspending another for the next two games, and issuing a warning to a third player, for dissenting with the decision of an Umpire.

The first three players - Dumas, Jno-Baptiste and Prosper, are all members of the Windward Islands team, while the fourth player Pete Josephs is a member of Team Leeward Islands.

The disciplinary action was based on reports submitted by Umpires officiating in the two games, with incidents involving the Windward Islands and Guyana teams at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn and Leeward Islands and Jamaica teams at Rosedale, Queens. Representatives of the Guyana and Windward Islands teams were in attendance at the disciplinary hearing.

Curtis Jno-Baptiste

??

In the Windward Islands/Guyana encounter, and according to the Umpires written report, "Following the denial of an appeal for caught behind in the 6th over of Guyana's innings, and off the bowling of C. Matthews, Windwards' captain Curtis Jno-Baptiste instigated dissension against the Umpire and batsman, by verbal abuse and intimidating language."

However, it was incidents much later in the innings that resulted in the match being halted, with Guyana on 178 for four off 39.4 overs in response to Team Windward Islands' 200 all out off of 46.2 overs.

Amar Singh

??

Windwards' captain Curtis Jno-Baptiste was accused of violating ICC Laws of Cricket 42 (18) regarding "Players' Conduct" and the "Spirit of the Game," by deliberately hurling a delivery at a Guyanese batsman, with intent to cause bodily harm, showing dissent with an Umpire's ruling, using foul and indecent language, intimidation, disorderly conduct and leaving the field of play.

Dumas was accused of similar violations, in addition to assaulting the Guyanese batsman, by deliberately hurling the ball at the Guyanese batsman, ala baseball pitching style and hitting him on the calf, while batsman was considerably away from the wicket and in no danger of being run out. According to the Umpire's report, "Dumas suddenly and without provocation threw the ball intentionally at Amar Singh, striking him on the back of the leg." The Windward Islands wicket-keeper Prosper was handed the two-game suspension for disorderly conduct and leaving the field of play.

The officiating Umpires of the Guyana/Windwards game - Raymond Simmonds and Fitzroy Hayles recommended the game be awarded to Guyana, on the grounds that the Windward Islands team refused to play and their actions brought the game into disrepute.

Leeward Islands' Pete Josephs, was issued a warning for refusing to immediately leave the crease after being adjudged lbw by the ruling Umpire.