A cricketer in the Barbados Cricket Association’s (BCA) First Division competition had to be hospitalised after being beaten by another teammate in an ugly morning dressing room incident last Saturday, prior to the start of play.
The injured cricketer, a former junior bodybuilder, was struck in his head with a stump. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was discharged on Sunday night.
Now on what is expected to be prolonged sick leave, the 33-year-old all-rounder told Weekend Sport that the injury required seven stitches.
“Unbelievably, this is all about a bag. The man who hurt me said he did not want anyone to move his gear bag. When I went for my bag, his bag was in the way of my bag. I just gently moved his bag, and said out loud, I just going to get something out of my bag, I don’t want any noise, I don’t want any quarrel.
“I just shifted his bag to the side. The next thing I know, I am picking myself off the ground bleeding. That is utter nonsense he did to me. The man open up my head.
“The club wants to keep it in-house, but I am told the guy will be banned by the club. The wound is deep and my right eye is swollen. I will have to take it easy for a while,’’ he said.
Efforts to reach club officials for a comment proved futile, but cricket operations manager of the BCA, Wendell Coppin, said the matter was being investigated.
“All matters have been drawn to the BCA’s attention and the appropriate action will be taken. I don’t have the full details, but I have asked for reports to be submitted.
“Any incident of violence whether on the cricket field or on the streets of Barbados is unfortunate. It is important we keep cricket as clean as possible from violence and, therefore, the appropriate action will be taken when all of the matters are drawn to our attention, the umpires’ reports, et cetera,” Coppin said.
