Cuts pay the penalty for unprepared pitch
Willow Cuts’ reign as knockout champions ended this week when Bermuda Cricket Board penalised them for not having their wicket prepared for Sunday’s match against Bailey’s Bay.Cuts, who won the title last year when neighbours Somerset forfeited the final after failing to field a team, will not be defending their title in the newly sponsored Logic Championship after the win was awarded to Bailey’s Bay who travelled to White Hill Field only to learn that the wicket was not prepared and the match subsequently called off.Bay captain Stephen Outerbridge said this week that the decision to call off the match was made quite early after the umpires noticed the state of the pitch. Bay were looking forward to playing the match, no doubt eager to avenge a recent league defeat to Willow Cuts at the same venue.Yesterday, the BCB confirmed that the match had been awarded to Bay who will now meet their Eastern Counties rivals St David’s in one of the semi-finals this Sunday.Southampton Rangers will play Cleveland in the other semi-final at Southampton Oval in a match between the second and fourth place teams in the league standings.The winners of the semi-finals will meet in the final on September 15 at Sea Breeze Oval, which gives Bailey’s Bay an added incentive ahead of their match with St David’s as they look to revenge their heavy defeat in the Eastern Counties three weeks ago.In the Logic Plate semi-finals on Saturday, Devonshire Rev will host Warwick while Somerset Bridge will play Flatts at White Hill Field.Bay and St David’s will also be involved in T20 matches on Saturday as they bid to win the two remaining cups up for grabs.Bay play two matches at home against Devonshire Rec and Flatts while St David’s meet St George’s and Cleveland.Western Stars have had their two matches against Willow Cuts and PHC switched again as PHC Field is not available so the matches will be played at White Hill Field.In the other two matches, Somerset meet Somerset Bridge and Southampton Rangers at home. The 20 over games start at 11am and 3pm.