Benn Dropped; to Undergo Counselling

Embattled Barbadian spinner Sulieman Benn can only blame himself for his predicament.

But the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) will try its utmost to help him get back on track, president Stephen Alleyne said, according to a report in the Barbados Nation on Sunday.

"The first obvious point, and it may be a harsh point, but the reality is that the situations are of Sulieman's making," Alleyne said in response to an observation that Benn was facing action on two fronts ? the BCA and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

"In the BCA board's view, there was a situation, the facts of which were clear, and to Sulieman's credit, he also made available to the board his own view of the events and there was no dispute with regard to the facts."

Alleyne was speaking a day after the BCA announced it was withdrawing the talented left-arm spinner from its year-round training programme preparing players for national representation.

Its decision, made at a board meeting on Tuesday, stemmed from a number of recent events culminating in an incident at the Empire Club last week Saturday that was the basis of a report from the Bank Hall-based club to the board.

The BCA's action comes when Benn is awaiting the outcome of a hearing he faced with the WICB disciplinary committee as a result of reports from the West Indies "A" team?s summer tour of England and Canada.

"We are not aware at this time what is going to be the recommendation of the WICB's disciplinary committee," said Alleyne, who is also a WICB director.

"It is possible that the board may take into consideration the action the BCA board is taking. I don't know. That is for the WICB to decide."

In announcing Benn's withdrawal from the national programme, the BCA also said it was arranging a course of professional counselling and mentoring which the player had agreed to participate in.

"We are going to assist with this mentoring and counselling in any way that we can. Our aim is to be supportive," Alleyne said.

"A top-class cricketer now needs more than the ability to bowl an inswinger or an arm ball or a googly. He needs a whole armoury of skills ? dealing with an intrusive Press, the pressure of performance on the field or comment off it and dealing with a whole variety of issues."

Separately, the WICB announced a report from its disciplinary committee on allegations against Benn, Tino Best and Runako Morton has been submitted to its directors and a decision would be made following a meeting a November 11.
* Source: Barbados Nation.