Ivanhoe and Brunswick lodge protests in VSDCA points cap controversy

UPDATE: Brunswick is weighing up an appeal to Cricket Victoria after two players were re-classified as four-pointers in a VSDCA investigation.

Louis Cameron claims the wicket of Raza Rizwan. Picture: George Sal

UPDATE: Brunswick is considering its options after being told Louis Cameron and Clint McKay were to be graded as four-point players for the rest of the VSDCA season.

The pair were classified as three-point players before the season, a move mistakenly ticked off by the Subbies board.

When the error was discovered the association changed the grading back to four points, which Brunswick appealed.

After a part-board meeting on Tuesday, the decision was ratified and Brunswick is weighing up a further appeal to Cricket Victoria.

VSDCA chairman Phil O’Meara said the ball was now in Brunswick’s court.

Louis Cameron in action for Brunswick. Picture: George Sal

Clint McKay during his time at Essendon.

“We sent a letter (on Wednesday) to Brunswick saying we want both players Louis Cameron and Clint McKay to be four-point (players) and this week they are to play with 19 points,” he said.

“We’ve given them the right to a review, which would be with Cricket Victoria.”

Brunswick director of cricket Tim Lumsden said the club was holding a committee meeting on Thursday night to decide the next step.

“We’re making our mind up tonight,” he said.

“We’re having a committee meeting tonight and working through it with the playing group.

“There’s a few parties that need to meet before we look at anything else.”

While McKay is yet to play a game this season, Cameron was allowed to play on Saturday while the issue was resolved.

Opponent Ivanhoe subsequently filed a protest adamant the Wicks had been allowed to play in breach of the competition’s points cap.

The Saints appeal will be heard once the Brunswick protest has been finalised.

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“We’re waiting on Brunswick to see if they want to review or if they accept our letter and the Ivanhoe matter will be handled after we sort the Brunswick situation out,” O’Meara said.

Subbies has scheduled a Saturday-Sunday double-header this weekend to replace the washed out Round 1.

Brunswick is due to play newcomer Strathmore at Syd McGann Oval on Saturday before backing up against Mt Waverley at Gillon Oval.

Ivanhoe is away to Coburg on Saturday and again on Sunday against Balwyn.

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A points cap storm is brewing in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.

The Subbies board is this week considering two separate protests stemming from Brunswick’s eight-wicket win over Ivanhoe on Saturday.

Both protests centres on the mis-classification of star paceman Louis Cameron as a three-point player when he should be a four-pointer.

The Saints lodged an appeal almost immediately following its loss, claiming the Wicks were allowed to play in breach of the competition’s rules.

Brunswick were given permission to play Cameron and exceed the 19-point cap despite the error being discovered early last week.

Louis Cameron in action for Brunswick against Ivanhoe. Picture: George Sal

The VSDCA informed Brunswick Cameron has been reclassified as a four-point player for future matches and the club has subsequently appealed.

The Sub-District board will hold board meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday night and could be forced to send the appeals to Cricket Victoria for a resolution.

Ivanhoe president Mark Dixon said he was told it was “bad luck” the Saints were playing Brunswick and there wasn’t enough time to correct the issue.

“We were doing our due diligence, we realised Brunswick should have been on 20 points and we contacted the Sub-Districts on Friday,” Dixon said.

“They said they were aware of the issue, it was an error, (Cameron) had been graded wrongly by Brunswick and they had agreed with the grading.

“Our position was they should play with 19 points, like everyone, and we found out on Saturday the committee gave Brunswick a letter that allowed them to play with 20 points.

“We’re one of the smaller clubs and we’re doing what we’re doing to fly the flag for the smaller clubs because we need to be treated the same as the bigger clubs.

“We tried to be mature about it … but basically we were told it’s bad luck they’re playing you guys.

“I confronted Phil (O’Meara) and said, ‘You’re giving Brunswick an advantage over the 31 other clubs’ and he agreed with that.”

O’Meara said there wasn’t enough time for Brunswick to correct the issue and that’s why they were given permission to play Cameron.

“We gave them permission to play with three points last week based on an unfortunate judgment by one of board members who ticked it off,” O’Meara said.

“Our problem last week was we didn’t discover it until Tuesday, we had a full board meeting on Wednesday and by the time we typed the letter and sent it to Brunswick it was Friday morning.

“We felt it was too late for them to be disadvantaged.”

Former Victorian paceman Cameron starred in the Wicks’ eight-wicket win, taking 4-22 as Ivanhoe was dismissed for just 77.

Brunswick recruited Premier Cricket veterans Simon Hill and Matt Doric during the off-season and together with Cameron take up 12 points.

The Wicks declined to comment when approached by Leader.

Brunswick’s gun recruit Simon Hill. Picture: George Sal

O’Meara said Brunswick’s appeal could end up at Cricket Victoria.

“We have now told Brunswick Louis Cameron should be a four-point player from this week and they’ve appealed against that,” he said.

“We gave Brighton an opportunity to take it to Cricket Victoria – an independent board.

“I know all the clubs think the onus is on clubs to put the correct points in but we ticked it off and now the question is can we reverse the situation.”

The situation is being closely monitored by rival clubs.

Brighton has played the first two matches of the season with only 10 players to ensure it adhered to the points cap.

Dixon was disappointed the issue was not resolved earlier, despite the league being made aware of it before Saturday’s first ball.

“Ivanhoe did everything in its power to avoid the scenario we’re in today,” he said.

“We got on the front foot, we spoke to the association and made it very clear that should the (Brunswick) team that was selected play the game and the result not go Ivanhoe’s way we would appeal the result.

“Everyone knew this on Friday before a ball was bowled, it shouldn’t come as any surprise.

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“The letter they’ve given Brunswick, that’s not legal under the rules of the competition because any points exemptions must be done by the 30th of June.

“I understand the association has written to Brunswick to tell them (Cameron) is a four-point player but then they allowed him to play on Saturday.”

Subbies has scheduled a Saturday-Sunday double-header this weekend to replace the washed out Round 1.

Brunswick is due to play newcomer Strathmore at Syd McGann Oval on Saturday before backing up against Mt Waverley at Gillon Oval.