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Herbie Bascome will not be retained as Bermuda’s under-19 coach as punishment for his part in the bad tempered exchanges that marred this year's Cup Match.

Somerset batsman Stephen Outerbridge and St George’s pace bowler George O’Brien were also reprimanded for their on-pitch fracas, during which O’Brien threw a punch at Outerbridge after the opener spat at him.

All three players have been put on probation in domestic and international cricket for the next two years.

But O’Brien and Outerbridge will still be allowed to play for the national team, if selected.

St George’s skipper Bascome, who was accused of racial insults by Somerset’s South African batsman Saleem Mukuddem and Bajan all-rounder Wendell White, is said to have discussed a series of allegations with the board and ‘expressed extreme regret for the manner in which the game was played’.

Bascome, who was held to higher account because of his responsibilities as captain and as a youth team coach, will not now be able to hold a national coaching position before January 2007.

A new under-19 coach will be selected at the beginning of next year when a panel headed by Gus Logie reviews all the national coaching positions.

In a statement last night BCB chairman Reginald Pearman also announced the formation of a new joint committee, made up of members from St George’s, Somerset and the BCB, to oversee the summer classic.

The new committee will deal with the Code of Conduct, selection and ratification of umpires and match officials.

“Its mandate will be to ensure that the largest domestic game on the cricket calendar will be one that both the country of Bermuda, and the global village of cricket will heartily support as a premier event,” added Pearman.

He said O’Brien and Outerbridge had initially been put on one year’s probation, relating only to Cup Match, by their clubs.

But he said the clubs were hampered in what action they could take by the fact that neither player represented them in domestic cricket (O'Brien plays his club cricket for St David's and Outerbridge for Bailey's Bay).

Pearman added: “I am pleased that we are now able to draw a close to these matters. There are many positive initiatives being produced by the Board and I fully expect that the game of cricket will be able to continue to flourish.”[[In-content Ad]]

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