Published 13 November, 2018
Buckie Got It St Kitts and Nevis News Source
Parsons and Lodge to replay second match in ‘best of three’ finals in Constituency #7 Domino League
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, November 13, 2018 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Results of the second match in ‘best of three’ finals between defending champions Lodge and Parsons Domino Club, in the 23rd edition of the annual Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League competition, have been annulled.
Parsons, who made history by being the first team from outside Constituency Number Seven to reach the finals, beat defending champions Lodge 13-11 on Thursday November 1 in the first of the three finals. When they met for the second match on Tuesday November 6, the match came to an acrimonious end early Wednesday morning November 7 with Parsons contesting the 13-12 win by Lodge. The team lodged a protest note.
A four-person arbitration panel sitting at the Lodge Community Centre in Lodge Project on Monday evening November 12 overturned results of the second match basing the reason of doing so on the fact that the referee agreed at the arbitration hearings that he had erred when he asked the teams to continue play after Parsons would have protested.
The four-person arbitration panel comprised of President of the St. Kitts Domino Association David Brandy, Cremoy Agard who plays for Masters Domino Club, Peter Govia who plays for Christchurch Domino Club, and Simeon Liburd who plays for Unity Domino Club. The panel had been set up by Constituency Seven Domino League organiser, Calvin Farrell.
Those who gave evidence at the hearings included the two referees, Norris Sharry for table two that was the genesis of the protest, and Eric Monzac who was referee for table one. The two Parsons players on table two, Marc Williams and Jedidiah Locker, testified. Referee Norris Sharry agreed that he erred after Marc Williams would have shut the game and a spectator said ‘play a thing’ to which the referee said he thought he heard ‘play a thing’ before ‘shut’.
However, Lodge player at the centre of the protest O’Niel Thomas was not at the hearings as he had earlier in the day been knocked down, and seriously injured, by a vehicle along Lozac Road in Basseterre. His partner McAllister Thomas gave evidence, as well as two witnesses to the event: Doval Davies of Small Corner Bar Domino Club, and Keith Eddy of Saddlers Domino Club.
According to spokesperson for the arbitration panel, Cremoy Agard, after the hearings they came up with three decisions which were: To let the game remain at 1-1 as the Lodge captain wanted it to be; play over the game as at 1-0; or forfeit the disputed game from Lodge, giving Parsons the win as they would have been ahead on two tables when the game was 12-11 in favour of Lodge. He noted that with those three decisions, they came to a majority decision.
“Decision is based on the facts to have that game be discarded because the referee made an error which he admitted to, which would have significantly impacted the rest of the game,” observed Agard. “So that game would have been very, very different if the referee had made the correct decision. So that game we cannot allow to go through, because that game would have been different.”
While saying that Parsons also erred by continuing to play, Arbitrator Agard however noted: “We take Parsons’ point of view that at that point both referees said to them play the game, in hindsight. But tonight the referee came and said he erred. So that would mean that what would have happened after he erred would have been different on the night if he had made the correct decision, so that means decision that he made that night was incorrect.”
The decision now means Parsons are leading 1-0 with two games to go. If they win the next encounter, which according to league coordinator Calvin Farrell will be on Thursday at the Lodge Community Centre, Parsons will be crowned the 2108 League Champions. Acting captain for Parsons, Ashton Williams said: “I feel pleased with the decision. They made a good decision, I feel pleased.”
Lodge Captain, Horatio Thomas, when asked the team’s stand, he said: “The decision, I want the game to be 1-1 the way it is and we go for the final game. But I am going to get my players and I am going to talk to them. I am going to talk to the players them, and then I will get back to the coordinator.”
Members of arbitration panel from left: Simeon Liburd, Cremoy Agard, Peter Govia, and David Brandy.
