HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Wicketkeeper Jason Anderson has been banned from cricket for life by the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) and his club following a brawl with an opponent. The punishment was handed down at a BCB disciplinary hearing on Thursday night, when Anderson, 36, was found guilty of a Level 4 offence following his altercation with George O’Brien in the Champion of Champions final last weekend.
Anderson, who earlier on Thursday was banned from Cleveland County Cricket Club for life, was “found guilty … of physical assault of another player, and has been given a life ban from all cricket, and any involvement in the game of cricket in Bermuda in any capacity”, the BCB said in a statement on Friday
Fast bowler O’Brien, 31, was found guilty of a Level 3 offence, and will serve a lengthy ban at the start of next season, with the time limit “sufficient to include six 50-over matches.” In banning Anderson, Cleveland urged him to seek help for anger management issues, and said the club did not condone his behaviour.
The clash with O’Brien started when he was seen to run up to the Willow Cuts batsman at the end of an over and hit him in the face. O’Brien reacted, swinging his bat at Anderson and the fight carried on to the other end of the wicket as Cleveland players tried to separate the pair. Carlton Smith, the Cleveland president, whose team won the final, ran onto the field and told Anderson to leave. Anderson then walked off after throwing his pads and gloves to the ground.
The ban came a week after Anderson won the Logic Premier Division Player of the Week award for a century against Flatts. “Cleveland County Cricket Club would like to announce that as a result of the incident at the recent Champion of Champions final, Mr Jason Anderson is hereby banned from representing the club in all sporting activities for life,” Smith said.
