By Ousman G Darboe
Gambia cricket players have expressed their disappointment to the league organizers of The Gambia Cricket Domestic League T-20 tournament on Saturday after a game between ComAfrique cricket and Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) cricket club at the MRC cricket Oval was postponed due to the unavailability of cricket balls.
CompAfrique were the first team to bat in the first innings and they were to bowl in the second innings with a new ball as the rules of cricket stated.
Cricket just like any other international game, has its own rules. Rule 4.3 of the cricket game stated that, unless an agreement to the contrary has been made before the match, either captain may demand a new ball at the start of each innings.
In the case of Saturday’s game, no prior communication was sent to neither the two captains nor the Umpires to make them aware of the unfortunate circumstances.
It was until the first innings ended, just at the beginning of the second innings, that the captain of ComAfrique cricket club requested a new ball but the only answer he could hear was that “there is no ball, this is the only ball available’”
Many players see it as a violation of the cricket rules and a total setback for the game.
Mbaye Dumbuya, the former Vice President of The Gambia Cricket Association as well as the former captain of the National Cricket team was the main umpire between ComAfrique and GPA cricket club. He stated that he asked the match commissioner why they brought only one ball for the match, and the response was that the balls were not many that was why they brought one ball in order to economize the balls. For Dumbuya, this is not fair play because it will be advantageous to one team while disadvantageous to the other.
“ It was not communicated to me that the balls were not available, when this was communicated to me I would have called both captains to inform them when we were taking the toast so that they will decide if we going to proceed with the game with the only ball available for the two innings.”
When asked if the move was a violation of the laws, Dumbuya responded “ It is a violation of the rules, it does not matter whether it is international or domestic, cricket rules are the same.
In every innings, new balls should be provided for a team that is going to field, so in this case, it is contrary to the rules.”
For Andreh Jarju, the Captain of ComAfrique, “Bad leadership is the cause of the unfortunate situation “.
He expressed that the match commissioner came to the ovals (cricket ground) without informing the two captains about the condition of the day’s match.
He blamed the leadership of The Gambia cricket association for the poor organization of the league.
Jarju said that he has not seen any positive future for Gambian cricket if things do not change because of abnormalities in the country’s cricket association.
When asked if the National Sports Council is aware of the condition of The Gambia cricket association, Jarju stated “Well the National sports council are much aware of what has been happening within the cricket fraternity.
I would say that what they are relying on is not something that can help cricket grow in this country.
You do not only sit back and wait for associations to write reports and then rely on those reports.”
“I think should be doing site survey to know what is really happening within the association, they should do fact-finding for them to establish the truth instead of relying on what they are being given by the association,” Jarju stated.
After approaching Jamiu Falana who was identified as the match commissioner for the day to give his side of the story, Jamiu stated “Interview? I don’t have that time, I am not going to talk.
In March this year, the main sponsor of the country’s cricket association Andrew H. shanks accused the leadership of misuse of funds and corruption. Shanks told journalists that he has been sending cricket equipment worth millions of Dalasi since 2008 while no positive development was made.
He said every now and then players will complain that they do not have cricket kits and equipment which is a big disappointment for him.
Mr A. H Shanks later told the players that he would no longer help the association as far as the same set of people are at the helm of leadership.
