Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
BROWN
THREE KEY St. Catherine players, including fast bowler Jermaine Lawson who has played for the West Indies and national spinner Bevon Brown, did not represent their team in its match on the weekend because of an earring dispute involving Lawson.
The players, including fast bowler Oneil Richards, walked out on their team minutes before the start of the club's sixth round Supreme Ventures Super Cup match against Kensington at Chedwin Park on Saturday.
Club manager Joseph Gyles, though hesitant to speak at first, confirmed the incident, saying: "To be honest, he (Lawson) did ... he walked out."
Gyles said he walked out because he wanted to play with his earring and was told he would not be allowed to.
TOTAL SURPRISE
The manager went on to explain that Brown, the team's captain, and Richards decided that they would not play if Lawson was going to be barred from playing for that reason.
Brown, who says he sometimes plays with an earring (ear knob), admitted that no player had ever been barred from playing with an earring by the club until Saturday morning.
He said it came as a total surprise because until then, he did not know that such a rule had existed.
"It was on Saturday morning when I reached the game, that's when I knew about it (earring rule)," he told The Gleaner. "Rules can be made, but it's how you go about it ... it's the way they went about it and did not consult me until Saturday morning."
He pointed out that Lawson is a senior player in the team and the matter should have been dealt with differently, then reiterated that he has been playing in an earring for years and if such a rule was made it should have been made known to the players before.
"I really couldn't have gone into the game without him (Lawson)," he said.
All three players were named in the team's final XI to play against Kensington, and according to Gyles, their absence affected the team.
"There is no doubt that it affected the team's performance because those are quality players."
PROCESS TO FOLLOW
Gyles went on to state that there is a club rule which clearly states 'no earrings ... we are not playing in earrings'.
When asked about the club's next step, Gyles, without elaborating, said, "We have a process at the club and we will follow through that process."
The process, he said, will start with a report that he "will submit as early as possible," after which they (St. Catherine C.C.) will have a disciplinary hearing. Gyles could not say what the outcome would be.
When contacted, the Jamaica Cricket Association's (JCA), CEO Brian Breese, said he was aware of the incident and pointed out that depending on the penalty it could have an impact on their place in the national team.
He said though, that such a decision rested on the strength of the club's reason, should it penalise the players.
"We would have to talk to the clubs and look at the reason why they have been suspended," Breese said, should such a penalty be handed down.
He added, "Obviously we would support the clubs based on the reasoning behind the disciplinary measures."
