Calculations, or lack of, have given all and sundry endless problems over the last few days and it reached a high point at the Kaiser Sports Club here yesterday.
Trinidad and Tobago, the 1996 champions, were declared the winners on a faster scoring rate, their victory achieved by a decisive run, but several journalists and commentators believed match referee Hugh Perry used the wrong formula to arrive at his calculations. His decision angered Leeward Islands manager Carlisle Powell, who described the situation as a ``farce''.
The facts are that Trinidad and Tobago, chasing a target of 173 in 41 overs after drizzles delayed the start by an hour, were 137 for five off 31.3 overs when rain brought a premature end at 5 p.m.
According to the match referee, they would have needed to score 136 runs at the completion of 32 overs to be ahead of the Leeward Islands' rate.
But, a closer inspection of the playing conditions showed that Perry did not use the formula which was to be applied in matches in which the number of overs were reduced at the start.
Appendix B, Part (b), says another formula is to be applied where the team batting first had to bat fewer overs and the team batting second would have to bat even fewer overs.
That seemed to be the case in this match and had that complicated formula been applied Trinidad and Tobago would have had to score more than 137 after 32 overs.
``We are of the opinion that the match referee used the wrong formula. I'm not sure that we lost at all,'' said Powell.
Trinidad and Tobago manager Rangie Nanan said the outcome was not one the teams and the public would have wanted.
``When the tournament started, each team was given regulations to go by and the important thing is that Trinidad and Tobago won,'' he said. ``lt is difficult and sad that a team should lose in these circumstances but there are regulations we have to go by.''
The gripping match was also highlighted by ace fast bowler Curtly Ambrose's verbal attack on umpire Thomas Wilson, who no-balled him for a short-pitched delivery which Trinidad and Tobago captain Brian Lara ducked under. A fired-up Ambrose walked all the way across to square-leg and bellowed his feeling to Wilson.
Powell was more concerned about the umpire's call than about Ambrose's behaviour.
``What is not good for the game is when [there is] a ball which is so low – it would have probably passed waist-height – and the umpire calls it a no-ball,'' Powell said. ``That was not a no-ball in any form of cricket.''
Trinidad and Tobago appeared to be in control for most of their chase. Opener Suruj Ragoonath launched the innings with a few delightful, extraordinary strokes, hitting seven fours in 39 off 51 balls before he was second out at 70 in the 19th over.
Lara, in sparkling touch, and the solid teenager Darren Ganga then put on 66 before both, along with Phil Simmons, fell within one run of each other just before the rain came. The left-handed Lara made 41 from 38 balls with six fours and six before he was bowled attempting to pull Wilden Cornwall's occasional medium-pace, while Ganga was run out for 44 made off 92 balls.
The Leewards' total was built around Stuart Williams' 54 off 60 balls with nine boundaries, but they slipped from a position of 100 for one in the 20th over to 126 for seven before Ridley Jacobs (29) and Anthony Lake (18) halted the slide.