More than four months after the controversial abandonment of the CG United Super50 Final, players from Barbados and Jamaica are still awaiting the payment of prize money and match fees, even as disciplinary charges brought against their respective captains—Raymon Reifer and John Campbell—have been dismissed or rendered ineffective.

In a press release issued on April 12, the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) confirmed that it has formally raised the issue of non-payment through its legal team and remains confident that the matter will be resolved following further discussions with Cricket West Indies (CWI).

The unresolved financial fallout follows a dramatic series of events that unfolded on November 23, 2024, when the Super50 Final between Barbados and Jamaica was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain and a wet outfield at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

Though play was scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., conditions delayed the toss until 6:00 p.m., with play set to start at 6:17. However, both captains—Reifer and Campbell—refused to take the field, expressing concerns over the safety and suitability of the playing surface. As a result, no toss occurred, and match officials declared the game abandoned.

Later that evening, umpires charged both players with a Level 1 breach of the CWI Code of Conduct for failing to appear for the toss. Reifer pleaded not guilty. Then, in a surprise escalation the following day, CWI’s Match Referee Reon King issued a Level 3 charge against Reifer, which carried the threat of a seven-match ban.

However, following legal challenges mounted by the BCA, the CWI Disciplinary Committee ruled on April 4, 2025, that the charge against Reifer was an “incurable nullity”, stating that the Match Referee had no jurisdiction to issue it. The Committee found that improper procedure had been followed and that Reifer was never even formally summoned to a proper hearing.

While the ruling focused solely on Reifer, the BCA highlighted that the players were never given an opportunity to present their side of the story, and the Committee made no reference to John Campbell in its decision.

Importantly, the Committee also made no ruling on the forfeited prize money or match fees, as those issues were not formally before it. This omission has prompted the BCA to continue its advocacy on behalf of the players.

In a statement issued the day after the ruling, CWI suggested that the two captains had “escaped sanction on a technicality”, insisting that the absence of a toss constituted a breach of both the rules and the spirit of the game.

Nonetheless, the BCA remains firm in its defence of Reifer and the Barbados players. “The players have never had the opportunity to put their side of events to any hearing as the preliminary objections made by Raymon’s legal team were upheld,” the release noted.

As the dust settles on the disciplinary process, the financial aspect of the dispute remains open, leaving the players still without payment and the matter far from resolved. The BCA says it is committed to continuing discussions with CWI until the issue of outstanding match fees and prize money is satisfactorily addressed.