BPL's greater interest
The governing council of the Bangladesh Premier League were eager to tie a frilly bow on what they insisted was a very successful fifth edition in a press conference in Mirpur yesterday, but some unease lingered about the way the second qualifier was shifted to the following day despite there being no provision for a reserve day in the bylaws. A 45-minute, at times surreal, press conference did nothing whatsoever to alleviate that unease.
It was hard to escape the feeling from the governing council members' verbal gymnastics that they were trying to have their cake (insisting that the continuation was not illegal according to the bylaws) and eat it too (admitting that the decision was ultimately left up to the respective owners).
When challenged on the deviation from bylaws, they defended it by pointing to the 2007 World Cup final when the bylaws were apparently not followed and resorting to it being the 'nature of cricket' that captains can have a greater say in organisation because they can call batsmen back after a dismissal. Another reason given for the deviation from the letter of the law was appeasing the sponsors.
A bit of context... the relevant BPL bylaw (16.12) about the fate of a playoff match that is tied or cannot achieve a result states that the teams shall compete in a Super Over and if that is not possible, the higher placed team at the end of the group stage will go through.
In the email containing the bylaw, it was also added that: "any objection to playing the Super Over would have been interpreted as 'refusal to play' as per the playing conditions and as a consequence the match would have been awarded to the opponent team."
This was circulated to the media as a clarification on the day following the decision to continue the match. Comilla Victorians were the higher placed team and since there was no Super Over played, it was assumed that no further play was possible on that day and therefore reported that if the bylaws were followed, Comilla would be in the final.
The governing council took exception to that conclusion and BCB director Mahbub Anam said yesterday that Comilla did not want to play the Super Over. In that case, the match should have been awarded to Rangpur Riders, according to the governing council's own clarification. Long story short; there should not have been a continuation to the following day if the bylaws were adhered to.
"We clarified it, and if that was reflected in the media it would have been good," said Mahbub Anam. "That rule [of the match being awarded to the opposition when one team did not want to play the Super Over] would have come into effect if the two teams did not agree upon playing the match the following day. The two owners sat down, Comilla said that they do not want to play the Super Over and they want to continue from this point [where the match was interrupted]."
"There are sponsors here; everyone wants the game to go ahead for the greater interest of the tournament," said BPL governing council member-secretary IH Mallick.
The scenes during the rained off first day of the second qualifier were unedifying, with BPL governing council members, owners of the two franchises, BCB directors and the two captains all taking part in fish-market-style negotiations on the pitch in full view of the spectators and television audience. While Mahbub expressed regret at the chaos, BPL technical committee convenor and BCB media committee chairman said something quite extraordinary, while also indicative of the BPL's management attitude.
"I think the broadcast became overenthusiastic. I don't know where the cameras were; I think it should have been shut down."
On a day when Comilla captain and Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was hauled up before a disciplinary committee for calling the Mirpur wicket horrible because he had violated a code of conduct as a nationally contracted player, the governing council itself was bringing up every excuse in the book to cover up contravening their own bylaws. It seems as far as interests are concerned, there is none greater than the BPL's.
Comments