The Bermuda Cricket Board of Control yesterday came under heavy fire from Willow Cuts for handing the Champions of Champions trophy over to St. David's without playing a final.

St. David's won Saturday's semi-final against Western Stars by four wickets, but after rain ruled out play for Sunday the East Enders were rewarded with the trophy based on their semi-final triumph and their status as the new defending champions.

But Willow Cuts veteran player and club vice president Dexter Basden ridiculed the Board for making a ruling that he said was unjust and terribly disappointing to his entire playing squad.

"We didn't like that at all. I had to leave that ground when the Board's president El James told me that they were going to present the trophy to St. David's rather than having the game rescheduled,'' said Basden.

"We seem to get the short end of the stick every year. I don't mind losing, but to reward St. David's with the trophy when they were not even the reigning champions only the cup holders .... such a decision is ridiculous.''

Basden, a former long-serving skipper of the team and current member of the squad, said that he passed his views on to James but didn't expect his club to make a formal appeal in days to come to fight the decision.

"I told Mr. James what I had to say but he claimed that they were playing under county rules. But I have never heard anything like this in the Champions of Champions. I remember that one time they didn't finish something and ended up playing at the beginning of the following season which would have been fine with us this time around," he said.

"Why tell us at short notice that they are going to reward St. David's with the trophy because the game is not going to get rescheduled after being rained out? That's rubbish. I have played cricket for 22 years and I have never seen the Board act like this.''

According to Basden his entire team would have had no qualms over having the game put back, claiming that the sporting public would have been given the chance to witness a spirited battle for the coveted cup.

"Yes, it would have been more appropriate for them to schedule it for the start of next season if they couldn't fit it in this time .... we worked hard to get there. I must admit that we can't control the weather but if they can reschedule league games because of some storm hanging around they can do it for the Champion of Champions,'' he said. "They cut the knockout out and now they want to cut us out of the Champion of Champions, it's really ridiculous. All of our players were really disappointed.

"The Board even tried to sugarcoat the situation down there at Lord's on Sunday by offering us lunch, but the fact of the matter is that we are very upset. We are not going to appeal it, but we have to let them know that we do not support this ruling.''

But Board president James insisted that there was nothing extraordinary about the decision, pointing out that all of the rules in each county allows the cup holders to advance whenever a round is affected by rain and since St. David's were victorious against Western Stars in the semi-final on Saturday it was automatic for them to be given the title.

He also indicated that if the semi-final had been rained out on Saturday, Stars would have been the team to advance to Sunday's final since they were the reigning champions having defeated Southampton Rangers in last year's final.

"There is absolutely no controversy here, everything was done fairly,'' he insisted.

Meanwhile, West Indies opening batsman Sherwin Campbell has been forced to pull out of the season-ending Testimonial cricket game scheduled for Lord's on Saturday.

St. Clair (Brinky) Tucker confirmed that the committee had just been informed of the disappointing news, the player having to withdraw having recently been named captain of the Barbados team that will compete in the forthcoming Red Stripe regional series.

"It's unfortunate to be advised of this at the 11th hour. Campbell has apologised and we have tried to find a replacement but our efforts have all been in vain," said Tucker.

Joel Garner and Roland Holder, two former West Indies Test players, had been sought as replacements but were themselves unprepared to come at short notice.

Tucker said that while the event will be minus a guest player of Test status, Bermuda's national coach Mark Harper has chosen to wear his whites along with a huge number of ex-players who have represented Bermuda over the years.