Trio get hefty bans after angry confrontation with umpire

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Three club cricketers have received hefty bans following an ugly incident involving a Barbadian umpire and his Bermudian colleague at the end of a league match.

 The Bermuda Cricket Board on Friday announced the suspensions on the Devonshire Recreation Club trio after they were charged with a variety of offences including foul and abusive language towards an umpire, intimidation of an umpire, and physically assaulting an umpire in the wake of last Sunday’s match against Bailey’s Bay.

 Dennis Williams, Dean Stephens and Ricardo Brangman have been banned from all cricket for a total of 22 matches after the angry confrontation with umpires James McKirdy, a Bermudian, and his Barbadian colleague, Hector Watson.

 Williams, who was at the game as a spectator, received the largest ban, of 10 games, with Stephens getting eight matches and Brangman four.

 Devonshire lost the match by 53 runs after they were bowled out for 215, chasing 269 to win.
 Four of the last six wickets to fall were lbw decisions, which the Royal Gazette newspaper said is believed to have contributed to the after-match confrontation.