ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — Dwain Gill on Tuesday tendered his resignation as president of the Grenada Cricket Association (GCA) after controversy erupted in the Windward Islands Senior Tournament underway here.

Gill confirmed to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) late Tuesday that he had resigned as Grenada’s chief cricket organiser, but has declined comment on reasons for his sudden action.

However, his decision to quit began circulating after local and sub-regional umpires staged a brief strike to protest the use of Grenadian Keith St Louis as third umpire in the tournament on the grounds that he was not qualified.

St Louis, who was part of the panel for the first round of matches, was also selected as the third umpire for the second-round match between Dominica and St.Lucia at Progress Park in Grenada’s eastern parish of St Andrew’s.

Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines were also due to feature in their second-round clash at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s.

However, the start of both matches was delayed by an hour on Tuesday morning because of the protest which involved four local umpires and one each from Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

It has also been reported that the umpires were ordered by the President of the Grenada Umpires Association John Greenidge to withhold their service until St Louis was withdrawn, bringing the strike to an end.

GCA is responsible for appointing the local umpires for regional tournaments, a GCA spokesman told CMC.

Gill’s resignation will be seen as a major setback to the GCA’s effort to bolster the sport in the tri-island state.

Since his tenure began two years ago, he has presided over a re-energised GCA which introduced the inaugural national T20 tournament; reorganised club competitions and youth cricket, as well as placed a heavy focus on training for umpires and coaches.

Gill was also manager of the West Indies team which won the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year.