By JOHN ELWORTHY VILLAGE cricket club chairman Bill Adamson has quit after his committee refused to sack the club captain for faking a match report which wrongly claimed a bowler had taken all 10 wickets. Mr Adamson is furious that Wimblington Cricket C

By JOHN ELWORTHY

VILLAGE cricket club chairman Bill Adamson has quit after his committee refused to sack the club captain for faking a match report which wrongly claimed a bowler had taken all 10 wickets.

Mr Adamson is furious that Wimblington Cricket Club opted only for a verbal caution against the bowler and a written reprimand to the captain after a scorecard was submitted to the press purporting to show Ahmed Anver had bagged all 10 wickets.

Just days after the result was published- and Anver proclaimed a bowling sensation for his 10 wicket tally- the truth emerged that the visiting club had only fielded 10 players meaning the young Sri Lankan could only have captured nine wickets.

"It was a blatant lie," said Mr Adamson who felt the club committee's reaction to be less than adequate once the lie was revealed.

Richard Corbert, secretary of the visiting club, Fenstanton, and who played in the game, said he was mystified why the Wimblington players had pretended to have taken all 10 wickets.

He played in the game and said his club turned up with just 10 players and was surprised to discover that a "T Mason" had been added to the team sheet in the number 11 spot.

"I have been involved with Fenstanton for many years and we don't have a T Mason, indeed have never had a T Mason play for us," he said.

"From a Fenstanton point of view it's too bizarre for words- though I suppose it is mildly amusing. Putting an extra player into our side probably seemed a good idea to someone at the time."

He said the doctoring of the score card made no difference to the result since Fenstanton lost by 109 runs- and Wimblington got 20 league points for the win.

"We are not looking to do anything about it," he said. "We were scuttled out for 53 run and are keen to draw the line under it."

He added: "The chances are if we had taken an 11th player, Ahmed would have got him out- but the fact is we didn't take 11 players."

Mr. Adamson had written to many people involved in the club explaining his position which had become untenable.

"My position is that I have left the club," he said. "I only want what is right for the club and want the club to move forward. There are good people there- what's done is done and it's time to move on."

He added: "Maybe I shouldn't have left but those involved have to live with what has happened."

As chairman he felt the club had to be run correctly but when it was discussed by officials he wanted more than his colleagues were prepared to vote for.

He was now working with March Cricket Club coaching juniors and offering his services to other clubs as a coach.

"I am not going to take up a chairmanship again," he said.

Ahmed, who was in action again for Wimblington on Saturday, was not available to comment on his alleged 10 wicket haul.

But after the disputed match he described to Chris Judge of the Fenland Citizen his elation at taking 10 wickets.

"The feeling was absolutely fantastic," he told Judge. "After I had taken five wickets the skipper said I could take all 10- but I did not believe it was possible."

And captain David Pomfret said that after Ahmed had taken nine wickets "the biggest worry was that someone else would take the final wicket, or there would be a run out, but fortunately that did not happen."

Pop Jolley, chairman of the Parkfield Sports Centre where Wimblington play, said he did not interfere with the running of the club.

"Something has gone wrong, it's up to them to correct it," he said. "I am sure they realise what a foolish mistake they have made."

Businessman Ed Gowler, who played in the Wimblington X1, said the committee had called a meeting and a statement would be issued.

"It's a silly thing blown up out of all proportions," he said.