Cricket Southern Bayside: Murrumbeena beats Beaumaris on Duckworth-Lewis method

Cricket Southern Bayside officials have defended its heat rule after a top-grade match was called off and lower grade games abandoned on Saturday.

Mordialloc batter Ryan Morris has a cold towel put on his head in Cricket Southern Bayside on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Cricket Southern Bayside officials have defended its heat rule after a top-grade match was called off and lower grade games abandoned on Saturday.

In Championship division, the match between Murrumbeena and Beaumaris was “heated off” when the temperature reached 38 degrees at 5.30pm, just as the game was reaching an exciting conclusion.

In reply to Beaumaris’ 8-156, Murrumbeena was 5-120 off 31 overs when umpires stopped play.

Murrumbeena was awarded victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system.

Earlier in the day, all lower grade games (Division 3 and below) were abandoned under the CSB extreme weather policy.

There was a mixed reaction to the decision, with some questioning “it made no sense” that the heat affected lower grade players more than First and Second XI players.

Mordialloc batter Ryan Morris batting in the heat. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Cricket Southern Bayside operations manager Ben Cavey said the decision was made according to competition rules.

“There were a lot of people on social media who weren’t happy with calling off of division three and below,” he said.

“About four or five years ago the competition was played in 39 degrees and we actually had two people go off the field (and) one person needed resuscitation.

“We went to the clubs and the clubs said, ‘yep, let’s make 38 degrees the temperature that we have to go off and if it’s going to be forecast at 37 then we need to not play’, and that was all the clubs.

“So even though there was lots of backlash on Facebook people don’t understand those rules, that it actually came from the clubs in the first place.”

Most top-grade teams played through the heat on Saturday, despite the temperature reaching 38.

“A couple of teams, if they’d come off a bit earlier, they might have won by Duckworth-Lewis but they actually lost by Duckworth-Lewis, so there’s a few unhappy clubs but that’s the rules, we’re just following the rules,” Cavey said.

Cavey added: “If you don’t like the rule then we’re happy to look at it again, it’s your competition.”

Beaumaris coach Chris Hall, who is also on the CSB board, said it was disappointing to lose due to the heat but accepted the ruling.

He said his side had its chances to win, especially when it had Murrumbeena 5-29, before Tej Gandhi (56no) and Xavier Ross (35no) dug in with an unconquered 91-run partnership to rescue the Beena.

“That’s the policy and that’s how it goes,” Hall said.

“Some you win, some you lose, don’t you?”

Mordialloc batter Nithiyananthan Mahendrakumar. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Hall backed the extreme weather policy, saying “all clubs signed off on it’’.

“The policy is there for a reason,” he said.

“When it’s administered correctly it works. It’s there because of past issues with heat and players health.

“Our competition is ‘cricket your way’.

“When we went to one day cricket instead of two day cricket the clubs all made those decisions based on the majority, on a vote.

“It’s the same with the heat policy, it’s the same with wet weather. The club has the option because it’s their competition to suggest changes and to object to rules.”

South Caulfield keeper Elliott Bradley and Mordialloc batter Ryan Morris. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In Championship division, Mordialloc produced a brilliant bowling and fielding performance to upset reigning champions South Caulfield.

Defending 8-147, Mordialloc took 6-10 in a sizzling final half-hour to dismiss South Caulfield for 118 after it was 4-108.

English import George Hankins did the damage, taking 4-20 off 6.3 overs with his spinners.

Nithiyananthan Mahendrakumar (3-36) and Aidan Morris (2-25) also struck telling blows for the Bloodhounds.

Will Russell top scored for South Caulfield with 41.

Earlier, Hugo Hammond (37) and Ryan Morris (31) set up Mordialloc’s total.