Somerset Bridge Recreation Club (SBRC) have been granted a “stay of execution” from having their Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) membership revoked.Included on the agenda of the BCB’s Annual General Meeting held earlier this week was a proposal to suspend the White Hill Club for falling behind in their annual dues to local cricket’s governing body.However, Bridge were thrown a lifeline when a motion from the floor requesting the club be granted at least two months to meet with the BCB to try and come up with a payment plan to offset their debt was upheld.The motion was forwarded by Western Counties Cricket Association (WCCA) vice-president Randy Raynor whose association has offered to serve as mediators between the two parties.Raynor, who is also president of Southampton Rangers Sports Club, said his association as well as the Somerset Bridge community stand to lose should the club’s BCB membership privileges be stripped away.“We want to try and help because if we lose Somerset Bridge then we lose another team in the Western Counties and also lose the effort Bridge make to help their community,” he said. “If you shut them down then there will be no cricket for the youngsters up there to play during the summer.”According to BCB bye-laws all clubs in default of payment of the annual affiliation fee are subject to such sanctions as the Board deem fit, including suspension or termination of membership.Raynor backed Rangers’ boycott of the Western Counties competition this past summer.The former Bermuda Regiment sergeant major strongly objected to the series being played at Somerset Cricket Club who are not affiliated with the WCCA.He said had the series been played at White Hill Field rather than at Somerset this might have presented Bridge with an ideal opportunity to generate revenue to help pay their debt to the BCB, which is believed to be in excess of $2,000.“They (Bridge) could have gained at least a percentage of the gate or even taken donations during the matches to help them pay their debt. Something like this would have definitely helped their cause,” Raynor said.“To take everything away from them only adds to their dilemma because they have no bar and no facilities, which is pretty hard. You are going to kill them if you shut them down completely and so they need help.”WCCA members voted in favour of playing last summer’s series at Somerset after both PHC Field and White Hill Field were deemed unsuitable to host the competition.PHC’s ground is still under renovation while Bridge’s clubhouse was demolished in 2008 to make way for a proposed multi-purpose sports complex that has been placed on the back burner.Raynor said that according to the WCCA’s Consitution, Southampton Oval and White Hill Field are the designated venues for hosting Western Counties matches. However, there are provisions in the association’s bye-laws that enable the series to be played elsewhere at the discretion of the WCCA executive.Even though Bridge’s clubhouse was demolished, Western Counties matches were still held at the West End ground prior to the decision to move the series to Somerset.“If you look back at what took place last summer we took something from a brother club and gave it to Somerset Cricket Club,” Raynor said.The former Rangers and Somerset Cup Match fast bowler is optimistic that with his association’s support, the Board and Bridge can come up with a solution to help the club retain its BCB membership privileges.“We have been given at least two months to try and get the Board and Bridge to sit and have dialogue to see how they can help get some of this money back,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to see how we (WCCA) can best assist the club who have lost all revenue up in that area.”