The points system used for cricket's Premier League is seriously flawed and needs to be revamped by Bermuda Cricket Board of Control.

So says Bailey's Bay captain Corey Hill, whose team narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Camel Cup when a no-result in their season finale denied them claiming any points from the match against PHC. That allowed Southampton Rangers, Western Stars and St. George's to overtake Bay for prestigious spots alongside champions St. David's in the final standings.

Bay entered the weekend in prime position to finish among that group, standing in third place, all the while knowing that victory on Saturday and Sunday would guarantee them the runner-up spot, providing Western Stars defeated then second-placed St. George's in their crucial clash on Saturday.

However, Mother Nature had other plans, and while Bay achieved the required result on Saturday, and moved to second place ahead of their three rivals, Sunday's constant drizzle at White Hill Field denied them the win they so desperately needed to remain second.

As it turned out, Stars and St. George's were both able to complete - and win - their matches against Somerset Bridge and Warwick, while Southampton triumphed by default over Police, who failed to provide a team, pushing Bay from second to fifth.

Stars ended second on 55 points - St. David's had long secured the championship - compared to 50 for the other three, with Bay the unlucky losers based on head-to-head match-ups against St. George's and Southampton, having lost to both in earlier league play.

"There's something seriously wrong with the system when a no-result counts the same as a loss," said Hill yesterday. "St. George's lost four games, we lost three, we both played the same amount of matches, yet they can finish ahead of us because we had one no-result. C'mon, there's something wrong with that.

"And this is not sour grapes or anything. Look at Police, who did not even bother to show up, yet we stayed around until 3.30 waiting to play, got in 14 overs, and get nothing . . . we might as well have not shown up and got the same thing.

"We've suffered consequences through no fault of our own, yet we're treated the same as a team that was delinquent, it's not right."

Hill suggested the Board further clarify and be more stringent regarding the issue of a no-result, enforcing rules whereby home teams that fail to adequately prepare pitches are penalised with a default loss while the visitors take maximum points. And in the case of a genuine no-result, such as when weather prevents sufficient play, points should be awarded to both teams, possibly along the lines of those given for a tie.

"It's absolutely not fair for us to have come this far, for the guys to have put in all the work that we have throughout the season and be denied like this," said Hill. "I'm devastated, my guys are devastated, and something needs to be done.

"Unlike the past two seasons, where there was a lot of controversy surrounding the team which was reflected in our performances, this season we have pulled it together and are deserving of a Camel Cup place.

"This is no fifth placed team, and the way it has come about is unjust and I would hope that the BCBC will find a way to have this game replayed, whether it be this season or even Christmas Eve in the interest of fairness and us being able to control our own destiny.

"I could accept letting things go if we were ninth or 10th and neither team having a shot at anything, but in a situation like this every effort should be made to have the match completed, particularly when one considers all the other challengers were able to complete theirs."

However, it appears certain that Hill and his team-mates will not get their wish, as BCBC president El James, when contacted yesterday, was adamant that no further games would be rescheduled. And he added that the points allocation for matches ending in no-result were clearly outlined and presented to the various affiliate members prior to the start of the season.

"We're not rescheduling any matches," said James, who only has just arrived back on the Island following several weeks abroad, and having been delayed by the recent bombing of the World Trade Center in New York. "That's just the way the cookie crumbles, there's nothing we can do about the weather.

"The facts are that there are regulations in place right now for this season, and if there are to be any changes then a motion should be presented for us to examine at the next meeting."