A former national team star accused of verbally abusing an umpire over the weekend has come out all guns blazing, accusing Richard (Red) Burrows of ?complete incompetence? and insisting he should be struck off the umpires list.

Noel Gibbons is one of three players who have been included in Burrows? match report from the Premier Division Knockout Cup game between Bailey?s Bay and Somerset on Sunday.

Somerset skipper Reid Jones could be in the most serious trouble after being accused of grabbing Burrows around the neck and dragging him into the opposition changing room in the aftermath of a fiery encounter at the Sea Breeze Oval.

Gibbons and Somerset seamer David Gibbs are also charged with swearing repeatedly at the umpire when decisions went against them.

If found guilty by the Bermuda Cricket Board?s disciplinary committee, Jones could face a ban of anywhere between ten games to life while the other two more minor offences could receive either an official reprimand or a one to three match ban.

But the 50-year-old Bay stalwart remained unrepentant yesterday, suggesting Burrows had exacerbated any existing tensions by swearing repeatedly at him and other players on the field ? prompting the game to spin out of control.

He agreed that all cricketers are responsible for ensuring they stay within the Code of Conduct, but insisted that when a highly-competitive game does get ?touchy?, it is absolutely crucial that there are umpires in place who are capable of ?keeping a lid on things?.

Gibbons added, however, that he did witness Burrows being placed into a headlock by Jones and claimed he was the first one into the changing room to ensure the umpire was alright.

?Regardless of whether an umpire has made mistakes or whatever, there is no excuse for touching an umpire and I think Reid Jones was way out of line doing that,? he said.

?But what you have got to understand is that Burrows has absolutely no idea what is going on out there ? he doesn?t cheat in any way, he just doesn?t know the rules. Normally he umpires with somebody else more senior there to help him, but for one reason or another he was doing our game by himself and it was a disaster.

?There is no way that man should be allowed to umpire any more games. It?s well known that he is the worst umpire in Bermuda by a very long way and he makes so many bad mistakes that it?s no wonder sometimes that things get out of hand. I?ve said all year that something serious could happen with him in charge.

?Some people care passionately about cricket on this Island and in a really tight game like ours was, things got a little touchy and the situation was made worse by Burrows.

?I?m 50 years old, I?m retired really ? I only got back involved because Bay were short of players. I really do not need this and I?m looking forward to the hearing so I can explain the situation to the Board.?

Asked for a response to Burrows? criticisms yesterday, BCB secretary Marc Wetherhill reiterated the Board?s earlier statement that no comment would be made before the hearing ? though he did point out that public criticism of an umpire is also forbidden under the Code of Conduct.

?The BCB issued a Press release on Wednesday and can make no comment on the alleged incidents until such time that the disciplinary committee have made their recommendations,? he said.

?However, I would like to remind players that public criticism of an official could be regarded as brining the game into disrepute which in itself is a potential breach of the Code of Conduct.?

No indication has yet been given as to when the disciplinary committee will meet.

Nobody from the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association was available for comment yesterday.