An East Rand school cricket match spiralled out of control with an umpire threatened with a gun and a mother with cancer beaten up, cricket officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Brent Goldwyer, chairman of the Easterns Cricket Union’s Umpires Association, said: ”Yes, it did take place. I received a fax from the umpire concerned and I’ve now handed the matter to the union for further investigation.”
The incident took place when EG Jansen Hoërskool in Boksburg hosted Kempton Hoër in the final of the Super League for East Rand schools on Saturday.
After an appeal was turned down by an umpire, the bowler apparently threatened the official. According to a source who did not want to be named, the boy told
the umpire in Afrikaans: ”You’d better run away after the match, otherwise I’m going to shoot you.”
The aggrieved bowler then apparently took his frustration out on a member of the opposition.
”He beat him up so badly that his whole face closed up,” said the source.
”Then his father beat up a mother with cancer. There was a lot of booze doing the rounds and some parent tried to calm things down by firing his gun into the air.”
”I only heard about it yesterday, (Monday),” said Brian Basson, the general manager of cricket affairs at the United Cricket Board of SA.
”I’ve asked for a full report and if there is any substance to the allegations we will take action.”
Basson said it was too early to comment on exactly what action would be taken. The boy who allegedly threatened the umpire is attending classes as normal.
According to the headmaster of EG Jansen, Corrie Marais, the school will conduct its own investigation before considering any sanctions.
Andre Nel, the national pace bowler, is an old boy of the school. – Sapa