Burleigh star suspended from Kookaburra Cup for six weeks for ball tampering

THE Kookaburra Cup has been rocked by a ball-tampering scandal, with a key member of Burleigh’s premiership defence suspended for six weeks by the Cricket Gold Coast judiciary.

THE Kookaburra Cup has been rocked by a ball-tampering scandal, with a key member of Burleigh’s premiership defence suspended for six weeks by Cricket Gold Coast.

Less than 12 months after Australian cricket was plunged into controversy in Cape Town, ball-tampering has reared its ugly head again on the Coast following Burleigh’s defeat of Broadbeach Robina earlier this month.

The player, who the Bulletin has chosen not to name, is understood to have inflicted further, “significant” damage to the ball after it was hit into the Aussie rules dugouts at Crowe Howarth Oval on February 2.

KOOKABURRA CUP’S UNDERRATED XI

The player, one of the stars of Burleigh’s charge to the competition lead, was then stood down from the Bullsharks’ ongoing fixture against Mudgeeraba Nerang and has now been handed a further four weeks.

The six-week ban is the maximum for a Level 2 offence, and he has also been given a 12-week suspended sentence and ordered by the club to assist with junior coaching and umpiring.

Cricket Gold Coast president Dean Johnson.

“It’s been dealt with,” CGC president Dean Johnson said.

“We referred (the case) to Queensland Cricket because it’s something we haven’t dealt with. They agreed it was a Level 2 offence and that had a suspension period of anywhere between two and six weeks.

FORD RULES HIMSELF OUT OD DOLPHINS COACHING RACE

“I dare say we are probably going to have a look at the level (of offence for ball tampering) at the end of the season because it is a very serious offence. He could well have got a lot more if it was a higher offence.

“The two umpires who were officiating, well done on picking it up. I’m sure the club is (ready to move on), the player is and the board is.”

The player will miss Burleigh’s last two fixtures against Palm Beach Currumbin and Alberton Ormeau, but will be eligible to play finals.

Bullsharks president Steve Miller said the length of suspension was “solid but fair”.

“He made (the ball) a lot worse to the point it wasn’t legal anymore. The umpires were good, they reacted straight away and were on it very quickly,” Miller said.

QUEST OVER BUT CLUB KEEN TO SEND STATEMENT

“We will get (the player) to do some coaching and umpiring and he’s going to have meetings with players to bring him up to speed on the Code of Behaviour.

“We know there’s going to be some flack out there. We know the opposition teams will bring it up out on the paddock and we’re prepared for that.”

Having already qualified for finals, Burleigh will be chasing Mudgeeraba Nerang’s 9-255 at Nerang RSL on Saturday.