Club left fuming after cricket penalty

A GOLD Coast cricket club has been left fuming after winning their weekend match – only to learn they bowled their overs too slow and the result was reversed.

“DISHEARTENED” Queens will learn in the coming days if Cricket Gold Coast will reverse their result against Palm Beach Currumbin following a contentious Saturday contest.

The powerhouse club were left irate after their rivals were awarded 12 penalty runs – six for each over missed – when Queens were three minutes late in finishing their 40 bowling overs.

Batting first, Queens posted 7-177 before PBC reached 9-172 with two overs remaining when time ran out.

MEET THE DOLPHINS TEENS

Amid the confusion play continued, with Queens taking the final PBC wicket two balls later to spark their victory celebrations.

They were short-lived, however, with word coming through play should have been halted once time had lapsed in Queens’ bowling shift.

Jimmy Spargo.

Queens player and coach Jimmy Spargo expressed his disappointed at the decision and his club’s appeal is likely to be heard by Cricket Gold Coast in the coming days.

“We weren’t thrilled. We thought we’d won and then to be told right after – it was disheartening,” he said.

“It’s a rule that has many different interpretations and it could go either way. I’m nervous, hopefully it goes favourably.

THE RISE OF ALBERTON

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the committee decides.”

Palm Beach Currumbin captain and coach Ryan Kettle, though, said the rule is black and white.

“It is what it is and has always been that way. It’s standard practice,” said Kettle, whose side has been hit by the same penalty in recent seasons.

“The penalty was expected – there’s no reason for the game to run slow.”

Cricket Gold Coast board member Peter Goodchap said it’s at the umpires’ discretion whether a penalty is warranted after deciding whether the bowling team gave every effort to finish on time.

Goodchap pointed to the rule being created as to not disadvantage the team batting second by the opposition deliberately bowling slow.

He also said he doesn’t know what the outcome will be as there are many considerations for the committee to take into account.

These include if there were any delays in the innings out of Queens’ control, or whether the umpires were keeping the team up to date on the status of the innings.

WHAT THE CRICKET GOLD COAST RULES SAY

12.1 Any protest from a Club, or any matter of dispute between Clubs, shall be adjudicated upon by the Grades Committee after all Clubs concerned have been notified of such protest or dispute and have had the opportunity of making written representations thereon. No such protest or dispute shall be considered by the Committee unless lodged with the Committee within Four [4] days after the matter in question arose, provided that in all cases in dispute any player or club may appeal to the Cricket Board of Directors within fourteen [14] days of the date of the Committee decision and its decision thereof shall be final.

5. Length of Innings

Penalties for the fielding team shall apply for not bowling the required overs by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the cessation of each session.

5.2.3 Delay or Interruption to the innings of the Team Batting Second

If there is a suspension of play during the second innings, the overs shall be reduced at the rate of 16 overs per hour for time lost. However, should the innings of the team batting first have been completed prior to the scheduled or rescheduled time for the commencement of the interval, then any recalculation relating to the revision of overs shall not be effective until an amount of time equivalent to that by which the second innings started early has elapsed.

If the team fielding second fails to bowl the required number of overs by the scheduled cessation time, the hours of play shall be extended until the overs have been bowled or a result achieved, light and weather permitting and the umpires shall determine if a slow over rate penalty shall apply. If the team fielding second is then unable to bowl the required number of overs by the close of play, the result shall be determined using the comparative tables at Appendix 3. See Rule 10.3