The Guyana Harpy Eagles may have retained their West Indies Championship crown, but their unbeaten run has been overshadowed by disciplinary issues involving three of their players during April’s final round against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval.
A statement from Cricket West Indies confirmed that Veerasammy Permaul, Kevlon Anderson, and Ronaldo Alimohamed were all found guilty of breaching the CWI Code of Conduct during the seventh and final round of the competition.
Permaul, the veteran spinner, was fined 75 per cent of his match fee for a Level 2 offence on day one of the match. He was found to have contravened Article 2.1–2.5, Paragraph 3.8 of the Code of Conduct, which pertains to “changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3 of the Laws of Cricket.”
On-field umpires Christopher Taylor and Kashif Sandy reported the incident at the close of play on the first day. Permaul admitted to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction by match referee Michael Ragoonath, thereby avoiding a formal hearing.
“Kevlon Anderson was fined 90 per cent of his match fee for a similar offence on the third day, during the second innings of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Anderson accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. In each instance the ball was changed, with the batting team given the option to choose,” the CWI statement read.
Alimohamed, meanwhile, was fined 65 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of a separate Level 2 offence. The medium pacer breached Article 2.1–2.5, Paragraph 3.6 of the Code, which relates to “throwing the ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a player or official in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner.”
Initially denying the charge—carrying a standard fine of 60 per cent—Alimohamed was found guilty following a hearing with match referee Ragoonath at the end of the first day, resulting in the increased penalty.
Level 2 offences carry a minimum penalty ranging from a fine of 50 to 100 per cent of the match fee and/or a suspension of one first-class match or two one-day matches.
Despite the disciplinary blemish, Guyana’s campaign was otherwise dominant. The Eagles completed the tournament unbeaten and secured their eighth West Indies Championship title in the past ten years. The championship featured eight teams: Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, West Indies Academy, and Combined Campuses and Colleges.
In a statement of congratulations, the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) said: “The Guyana Harpy Eagles continue to display their dominance in this format, drawing their final round match against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to end the tournament unbeaten and secure their eighth (8th) West Indies Championship title in ten (10) years.”
The regional competition kicked off in January and concluded in April.
