Rangers no show hands Cuts Counties title

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3: Willow Cuts have been declared 2011 Western Counties champions without having to take to the field for the final.

Western Counties Cricket Association (WCCA) president Gary Dowling confirmed Cuts as this year’s champions after Southampton Rangers followed through with a threat to boycott this Saturday’s final round at Somerset Cricket Club.

Rangers threatened to boycott this year’s series in protest of the WCCA’s decision to stage the event at Somerset, who are not affiliated with the association.

Dowling expressed sadness over Rangers’ reluctance to play but insisted the show must go on.

He said: “We are very disappointed because everybody was looking forward to seeing Rangers in the final.

“It’s very disappointing that Rangers did not take up the challenge and come up there and play but we have to move on.”

Dowling said Rangers failed to declare their intentions despite having ample time to respond to his association’s request for confirmation of their involvement in this year’s competition.

He added: “Rangers would’ve been in the final but they would not confirm they were going to play.

“I’m not going into all the details, but they were asked to confirm and we didn’t receive any confirmation and so we are moving on.”

Rangers president Randy Raynor told the Bermuda Sun that his club and St David’s would stage their own home and away series as a charity cricket match.

Instead of Cuts facing Rangers in the final, a Western Counties XI will take on an Eastern Counties XI at Somerset in a 50 over contest on Saturday.

Clash

The two teams will also do battle August 27 at Sea Breeze Oval in the unconventional overs format (70-48) used by the Eastern Counties Cricket Association (ECCA).

The match is being staged to fill the void left by St David’s County Cricket Club who are boycotting the competition for a second straight year in protest of a host of issues with the ECCA.

Dowling said: “Both of the counties got together and decided to have a east and west select that are going to play in the slots that are already provided.”

The WCCA chief stressed that only players from the WCCA and ECCA teams involved in this year’s series will be eligible to play in the two exhibition matches.

He said four players from PHC, Warwick, Somerset Bridge and Cuts will be put forth for selection to the Western Counties XI, while five players from Cleveland County, Bailey’s Bay and Flatt’s Victoria Club will be considered for selection to the Eastern Counties XI. Cricket commentator CV Jim Woolridge will be honoured at Saturday’s fittingly dubbed ‘Clash of the Counties’.