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Carib Beer Series

Trinidad umpires ensure matches go ahead

March 14, 2008

The sixth-round Carib Beer matches that were under threat because of a withdrawal of services by the West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) are likely to go ahead with qualified officials in place today.

Six Trinidadian umpires were yesterday dispatched for the three matches in Barbados, Jamaica and St Thomas to fill the void created by the absence of the appointed umpires.

The Nation understands that the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (TTCUSC) is not supporting a decision by the executive of the WICUA to boycott the next two rounds of matches in protest over a decision by the WICB to remove two Trinidadian umpires from the tournament.

As a result, Terrance Birbal, who officiated in the match between Barbados and Jamaica at Kensington Oval that ended on Monday, flew in from Trinidad yesterday to stand in the match between Combined Campuses and Colleges and Trinidad and Tobago at the 3Ws Oval. Birbal will be joined by a fellow Trinidadian, the little-known Joel Wilson. The original umpires for the match were Barbadian Vincent Bullen and Derindranauth Somwaru. There was speculation yesterday that Somwaru might make himself available.

In the other matches, Clyde Duncan of Guyana and Melvin Noble of Jamaica were carded for the match between Jamaica and Windward Islands at Alpart, while Jamaican Vivian Johnson and Austin Christopher of Antigua were to stand in the match between Leeward Islands and Guyana in St Thomas.

WICUA is withholding its services from this weekend's matches after the West Indies Cricket Board removed Trinidadian umpires Hayden Bruce and Kaso Dowlath from the Carib Beer Series. Bruce and Dowlath are not members of TTCUSA, which is aligned with the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control. The pair are linked to the recently formed Association of Cricket Umpires of Trinidad and Tobago.

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