A bid to bring some of cricket's most famous names to Bermuda has been hit for six.

Sir Viv Richards, Courtney Walsh, Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge were just a few of the former West Indian Test stars expected to grace these shores later this year.

But a row between Bermuda's Cup Match teams and the Testimonial Committee over the scheduling of trial and tour games has led to organisers calling off their planned summer extravaganza.

Bermuda Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) decided against sanctioning the all-star tour, and that proved the final nail in the coffin, forcing the organising Testimonial Committee to cancel the tour which was scheduled for July 27 and 28.

The Board apparently sided with the Cup Match clubs, St. George's and Somerset, who turned down a request by the Testimonial Committee to have the final Cup Match trial matches changed from the traditional Saturday before the mid-summer classic, July 27, to Thursday, July 25.

Others top players who had been confirmed for the tour were Phil Simmons, Joel Garner, Gus Logie, Colin Croft, Collis King, Jeffrey Dujon, Roger Harper, Robert Haynes, Richie Richardson and Ezra Mosely.

Arrangements were in place for the visitors to play two games, the Testimonial Committee opting to have these matches at the respective Cup Match grounds, so allowing the clubs to recoup money they said they would lose if the trials were switched.

But the clubs held firm, refusing to alter their schedule.

Testimonial Committee chairman Custerfield Crockwell was clearly irritated by the Board's position, noting their decision was a “sad day for cricket”.

“It's a slap in the face, an insult,” said Crockwell. “I don't think we will ever see these players here. We were very hurt about it . . . for the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control to make this decision, it's a great pity.”

While admitting that he personally wanted the tour to proceed despite the Board's refusal to offer sanction, Crockwell agreed that bringing in such big names without the BCBC's approval would have not been deemed appropriate and may not have sat easily with the players themselves.

But Crockwell stressed that the real losers were the sporting public - cricket lovers who had not had previous opportunity to see such a talented group of players from the West Indies assembled on the Island.

“Truthfully speaking I wanted to go on with it, whatever the consequences,” he said. “But then I realised that those top players coming in would not have wanted to go against the ruling of any cricket nation's governing body in the world.

“I thought the Testimonial Committee had been excellent with the BCBC. We support their youth development programmes from funds taken from the annual game we have, and now to have them turn tail in midwater to say we can't have it makes me wonder.

“I wonder if it's because it was our idea to bring in this elite group of players and not the Board or the Cup Match teams. Would it have been different if it was in their hands?”

Crockwell said Sir Garfield Sobers had come up with the idea of having the Testimonial game to honour old players who had made huge contributions to the sport, and said it was never the intention to court controversy.

“We do it from our hearts,” he said. “I originally thought that our many cricket personalities were not being honoured for their input and like us, many others feel that the idea was a good one.”

Crockwell explained that the Testimonial Committee wrote to the Cup Match clubs in February about their suggestion because of the conflict of dates, but no response was received until the end of April.

He said what disturbed him was that the Board had already included the dates for the games in their schedule, confirming that all was in order for the tour - although plans were for the two games to be held at Lord's on July 27 and July 28.

“Yes, they told us they are not changing their dates. We already had a copy of the Board's schedule which showed how they had slugged us in for July 27 and 28, giving us permission,” he said. “We have gone through a lot to get a number of sponsors to cover the tour, response was wonderful and people are still calling to ask if they can assist because there has been nothing like this been attempted before.

“We were really, really excited about the tour until last week when we were told that the Board had also denied us those dates. Now people are asking, why are we calling it off, but what more can we do?”

It remains to be seen if a Testimonial game will be held at all this summer, Crockwell saying that a meeting will have to be called to discuss the matter in the near future.

“I feel sorry for the fans and the sponsors who have rallied behind us in numbers,'' he said.

Meanwhile, BCBC president Reggie Pearman said the decision not to back the tour was made at a meeting last week at which he was not present.

“It's unfortunate that the two clubs couldn't agree,” he said. “But this is not a Board thing, it's a Testimonial thing. We are not giving our blessing for the tour based on the disagreement.”

Pearman said it was a tradition to have the Cup Match trials on the Saturday before the game and suggested the timing of the tour was “a little off”.

“We all would have loved to have seen these top players,” he said. “But perhaps next year they can have it at an earlier stage.”

Pearman confirmed that talks were also being held with Canadian cricket authorities with regard to bringing their national side to the Island. However, he said nothing had been confirmed as yet.