St David's punished for boycotting Eastern Counties

St David’s County Cricket Club have had sanctions imposed against them for bringing the Eastern Counties competition into disrepute.

The Bermuda Sun can reveal that the islanders have been placed on two-years probation and had their share of revenue from this summer’s Eastern Counties series slashed.

They have also been ordered to submit a formal public apology for making scathing remarks about the Eastern Counties Cricket Association (ECCA).

The ECCA ratified a proposal from the floor to impose sanctions against the islanders during a recent fully –attended board meeting.

ECCA president Harold Millett was unavailable for comment yesterday while St David’s president Aaron Lugo declined to comment.

The ECCA and St David’s have been at odds over a plethora of issues in recent times which resulted with the latter boycotting last year’s competition in protest

St David’s had strongly opposed the ECCA’s decision to stage the competition at Sea Breeze Oval for a second straight year.

They also rejected the ECCA’s decision to share proceeds from campsites and concession stands at county matches among the four respective Eastern Counties teams.

Lenient

However, both parties were able to reach common ground on a number of issues — primarily financial — during multiple arbitration hearings before the ECCA accepted St David’s back in the popular competition following a one-year self-imposed exile.

But it is understood there are those who felt St David’s should not have been reinstated in this year’s competition to be held at Lords for taking matters into their own hands the previous year.

There are also those who claim the ECCA were far too lenient on St David’s, who received what they feel amounts to little more than a “slap on the wrist”, for bringing the popular competition into disrepute by way of boycotting.

However, sources said the ECCA felt it would be in the competition’s best interest to have all of its respective members represented this year.

Meanwhile, cup holders Cleveland County will open their title defence against Bailey’s Bay in the first round July 16.

Flatt’s will then face the eventual winner in the second round August 13 with the winner of that match to clash with the returning islanders in the final round to be held August 27.

The ECCA declared Cleveland as the cup holders after previous champions St David’s withdrew from a competition they have dominated over the decades. n