Cricket /BCB to review punishment awarded to two second division teams

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced that it will review the punishment awarded to the two Second Division teams during last year's league for deliberately losing games as an act of protest against biased umpiring. BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus, who is also a member of the inquiry committee formed in this regard by the board, informed the media after being requested for reconsideration by the punished teams.

"We have received appeals from some of the players and clubs. I think Lalmatia have put in a request recently too, and one of the captains has also submitted a letter. We are going to sit for a review soon," Yunus told reporters yesterday.

On May 2 2017, BCB banned two bowlers for 10 years for deliberately bowling numerous wides and no-balls in Dhaka Second Division League and cancelled the affiliation of their clubs from the league for indulging in such practice. The career of Lalmatia Club's Sujon Mahmud and Fear Fighters Sporting Club's Tasnim Hasan effectively ended after a probe found them guilty of bringing disrepute to the game.

In a match in the 50-over League last month, Lalmatia's Sujan sent down 13 wides and three no-balls in the first over and all of them raced to the boundary, costing his side a total of 80 runs. Lalmatia were dismissed for just 88 off 14 overs before opponents Axiom Cricketers reached 92-0 off just four balls.

Axiom opener Mustafizur Rahman struck three fours in four legitimate balls to complete a 10-wicket win. As the incident was widely reported in local and international media, the BCB formed a three-member inquiry committee in its Board of Directors meeting on April 22, to look into the matter.

While investigating the match, the committee members found Tasnim of Fear Fighters conceded 69 runs off seven balls in a separate game in the same league against eventual champions Indira Road KC. Tasnim bowled eight wides and six no-balls during his spell off 1.1 overs as Indira Road reached 105-1 in 7.1 overs for a nine-wicket win after bowling out his side for 102 runs.

Lalmatia captain Faisal Ahmed, coach Asadullah Biplob, manager Adnan Rahman Fear Fighters captain Tanumay Ghosh and coach-cum-manager Anwarul Mustakim will remain suspended until 2022 as they failed to stop the incidents.

The BCB banned umpires Shamsur Rahman and Azizul Bari, who were in the field during both matches, for six months from league matches for their 'inefficiency' during the games. The umpires however will be allowed to officiate at age-level matches while BCB said in a statement that constant scrutiny and monitoring of their respective conduct/performance will be made if they officiate in age group and other lower-grade domestic matches during the ban-period.

Moreover, both umpires Shamsur and Azizul will not be part of the review as BCB saw it fit not to sanction them in any way. The duo completed its six-month ban in November and now eligible to officiate league matches. When contacted, officials of both clubs admitted that they submitted a letter for reconsideration.

"We are hopeful that BCB would reconsider their judgement about us," Fear Fighters coach-cum-manager Anwarul Mustakim told Cricbuzz on Wednesday.

(CRICBUZZ)