BARBADOS on Sunday became the first team in regional first-class cricket to be penalised for ball-tampering, after match officials deemed that the condition of the ball had been altered. Barbados, however, have maintained their innocence.
Just after 1:45 p.m. on the third day of their Carib Beer Series match against Guyana at Kensington Oval, umpires Billy Doctrove and Vincent Bullen summoned home team captain Courtney Browne to inform him of their observation.
When the umpires returned to the pavilion at tea almost an hour later, they informed match referee Hartley Reid and the official scorers that Guyana would be awarded five penalty runs.
“The law says if there is any form of tampering of the condition of the ball, five runs are awarded to the batting side,” Reid told the DAILY NATION after the day’s play.
“The umpires discovered that there was a change in the surface of the ball inconsistent with normal wear and tear. They took it out of the game and replaced it.
“Umpires are the ones who decide on fair and unfair play and in their opinion the ball was not fit for play any longer.”
At the time of the change of ball, Barbados were encountering stiff resistance from Guyana’s second-wicket pair of Krishna Arjune and Sewnarine Chattergoon, who were in the process of adding 161.
After the change, Barbados fast bowler Tino Best proceeded to take three wickets in an impressive burst that restored the defending champions’ advantage.
When asked for comment, Browne said from what he saw the ball did not appear to have been tampered with.
“It didn’t look that way to me. The umpires thought so and at the end of the day the umpires’ decision is final,” Browne said. “I was glad for the change of ball anyway because the guys were 150 runs on.”
There have been very few instances of such penalties for teams at this level, but Browne does not feel it has dented Barbados’ reputation.
“Things are always said about teams and you basically have to live with them and move on,” the Barbados captain said.
“At the end of the day, the umpires’ decision is final and I would not argue with an umpire or have any sort of confrontation with an umpire. (Daily Nation)