Submitted by Denise Small
In January 2012 my son organized a cricket team to participate in the Pine’s local cricket competition ‘Bring Six and Come’, organized by Hamilton Lashley and associates, a competition which I gather is held yearly. The prize money advertised via a flyer was 1st place $3000, 2nd place $2000, 3rd place $1000 and 4th place $400 and each team had to pay $150 to enter the competition.
My son’s team Central, a group of young men between the ages of sixteen and eighteen who used they allowance to enter the competition and what was not covered I paid. These young men played their hearts out and they also helped to prepare the wicket, arriving on time and staying to whenever the competition that day was finished on almost three consecutive weekends.
These young men [team] placed 3rd in the competition and were looking forward to the $1000 prize money on offer. I was happy to hear what these young man wanted to do with the money, one wanted to buy new cricket gloves, another, things for school and another to give to a player’s mother who bought food and fed them throughout the days at the grounds as no food was provided by the organizers. On the night of the presentation Central Cricket team were informed by one of the organizer/player of the winning team that they [team] would receive a trophy but not the prize money as the ‘rules had been changed during the competition’. No team was ever informed of this rule change EVER, no explanation was given as to why the monies would not be paid.
I have contacted Mr. Lashley and through verbal and written acknowledgement [see attached copies of which start from the 27th February 2012 and the last sent on the 17th August 2012] he had agreed to pay the boy the prize money, the last contact was through the Nation Publishing 12th July 2012 a story written by Randy Bennett, where Mr. Lashley agreed to pay half in July and the remainder in August, to date these young men have received NO MONEY. The boys fully understand that the pavilion burnt down but in their words what has that got to do with the competition held in January and the prize money?
I am rather disappointed and disheartened to hear the comments of these young men over the past few months especially as another Bring Six and Come competition was advertised with a 1st place prize money of $9000 with participating overseas team willing to play. They have lost trust in locally organized competitions and have made it clear they will no longer participate in any as they are ‘thieves out there preying on the young.’ The boys believe that this is happening to them because they are youngsters who cannot do anything about the situation
I am at a loss as to where to turn, so by letting other cricketers out there know that by taking part in these locally organized competitions the prize money is NOT guaranteed. If possible and you are underage ask an adult to represent you, don’t fall prey like Central Cricketers did.
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