Future LICA competition rules to be discussed - AntiguaSun

[Anguillan newsboy]

Rules and regulation governing the Leeward Islands Cricket ***ociation’s (LICA) will be among the agenda items when members gather at a LICA general meeting next month.
President of the LICA Gregory Shillingford said the guidelines governing the competition will be addressed during the meeting, which will be held in Tortola, British Virgin Islands on 1 Dec.
In early October, St. Kitts, claiming the players were unable to acquire visas, also failed to travel to St. Thomas for their three-day and one-day matches against the Combined Virgin Islands.

But the rules and regulations governing the LICA tournament came to the fore once more during the latter part of October, when Montserrat defaulted their final round three-day and NAGICO one-day matches against Anguilla, giving the Anguillans their first ever hold of the three-day title.
Montserrat did not travel to Anguilla for the encounters citing a lack of finance.
Anguilla were entering the final round of matches just three points ahead of Antigua and Barbuda that were the only other team that had a chance of capturing the three-day title.
In both instances, the LICA awarded the points to the teams hosting the respective matches.
But Montserrat’s decision not to travel to Anguilla didn’t go well with many pundits who were calling on the LICA to take actions against the men from the Emerald Isle for forfeiting the games against Anguilla.
Shillingford, however, said the LICA could not penalise anyone since no such clause is embedded in the current rules and regulation governing the competitions.
“There is nothing in the rules that address that issue if team forfeit by not showing up for matches. There is nothing in the current rules to that or even in the articles of the Leeward Islands Cricket ***ociation,” Shillingford said.
“There is nothing in terms of the rules that have been breached. Yes there is disappointment and embarr***ment, but in terms of references, rules, regulations in the article of ***ociation that could be used to sanction St. Kitts and Montserrat, I don’t think there is any.
“In any case it is the LICA body, made up of all eight countries, that make the rules for LICA’s affairs. But, when we meet later this year, I expect some countries to make proposals to the effect that if a team defaults for reasons that are not compelling there will be a penalty imposed.
“So if it is a proposal presented by one or two or three of the countries for penalties to be imposed for a team forfeiting or no show then if it is carried then it will become a part of the rules and regulation governing the LICA competitions.”
A number of other matters will be up for discussion during the meeting in Tortola. Among them will be the review of the WICB Governance Committee Report, Review of the LICA tournaments which will include reports from the managers and coaches, the Leewards Under-15 and Under-19 tournaments, the KFC Cup, LICA development programmes and appointment of development officers and the upcoming Carib Beer Series.