Local Cricket: FTGDCA players respond to cricket chief’s plea

Players in a suburban cricket association have responded to the chief’s call to stamp out disgusting and offensive on-field behaviour.

Players urged to rein in disgusting and offensive on-field behaviour have responded to a suburban cricket chief’s appeal.

Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association (FTGDCA) president Colin Capon last week issued a damning missive to clubs, following a spate of complaints of poor conduct.

He slammed the recent trends of on-field behaviour as “absolutely horrendous”.

Reports of cricketers abusing opponents with terms such as “kiddie fiddlers” and “sex offenders” and sledging them on the basis of their mental health and sexuality, prompted the FTGDCA chief to write to all clubs.

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The letter detailed informal complaints had been received of on-field banter “becoming very personal”, while aggressive behaviour towards the opposition had also occurred.

Mr Capon said the issue was a “hot topic of conversation” among players on the weekend and believes behaviour had improved.

“There were no incidents and no reports over the weekend,” Mr Capon said.

“I did the rounds … and they (the players) were all in agreement that what we came out with was appropriate.

“They were very well aware about making sure that no-one went over the top, so I think the message has got through really well.”

Mr Capon said Cricket Victoria had been in touch to offer its support, but said he was satisfied the issue had been dealt with.

“Time will tell, but I think after the comments I got from presidents, players, going around the grounds was ‘message understood’ and they were all reflecting to make sure that they didn’t become one of those annoying people,” he said.

“We were proactive at it, we got the message out there and I think it’s really sunk in.”

The association boss wrote in his letter last week that the onus was on clubs to regulate their players’ behaviour.

“It is very easy to mutter that perhaps the umpires should have more control over the game … clubs and captains need to control their players from doing these things, the job of the umpire is many things but managing the culture of your teams and players is not one of them.”

He said no reports of umpire abuse had been made, and treatment of umpires had only improved this season.

Mr Capon praised the cooperation of club presidents, with most holding mandatory player meetings last Thursday night on behavioural expectations.

“The response I think from the clubs has been fantastic,” he said.

The FTGDCA’s plea came following a fiery clash in the Box Hill Reporter District competition two weeks ago, which prompted an umpire to leave the field mid-match.

Cricket Victoria spokesman Hamish Jones suggested poor player behaviour could be part of a wider issue for community sport, following two seasons of COVID-19 disruptions.

“It’s no excuse for taking it out on the cricket field or people around you, but I’d be interested to see how the footy season kicks off when their time comes,” Jones said.

“I’d be interested to see how the behaviour at community level burdens those settings and if it’s something cricket needs to address or it’s something that needs to be addressed across community sport. I suspect it’s the latter.”