Rose Wanted Guilty Plea Overturned

Former West Indies pacer Franklyn Rose, who pleaded guilty last week to assaulting a Canadian tourist at a north coast resort town restaurant will be sentenced Nov. 22, police said Friday.

Magistrate Dunbar Green denied Rose's request to overturn his guilty plea when the cricketer appeared in Magistrate's Court on Thursday, police said.

Rose, who played 19 Test matches for the Caribbean team, didn't have legal representation when he pleaded guilty Nov. 7 to assaulting Laurie Provencher of Bow River, Ontario. He therefore sought to overturn the plea, his attorney Roderick Gordon said.

Green postponed sentencing, originally scheduled for Thursday, until Nov. 22, police said. Gordon requested time to present witnesses, hoping the judge will issue a light sentence, the attorney said.

Gordon said he expects that Rose won't do jail time and will be handed a fine or community service sentence.

Rose and Provencher had an argument at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville bar and grill in Ocho Rios on Nov. 6. The argument spilled out into the parking lot where Rose allegedly slapped Provencher, police said.

He was arrested later that day. Rose was released on his own recognizance after pleading guilty Nov. 7, police said.

Rose has not played for the West Indies since 2000 following the third Test match against England during a tour of Britain. He was left off the squad for a subsequent tour of Australia after team management said it had problems with his attitude.

* Culled from wire service reports.