MPCA 2020-21: Tyabb has C3 premiership taken away

A Mornington Peninsula cricket side has been stripped of its premiership for playing an ineligible sub-fielder.

Tyabb's sevenths celebrate their win in the MPCA C3 grand final last month. Picture: Tyabb CC

Tyabb Cricket Club says it is bitterly disappointed by an MPCA decision to strip it of its C3 premiership victory last month.

Its sevenths defeated Crib Point convincingly in the grand final on March 13-14, making 176 and then dismissing Cribby for 105.

But a protest by Crib Point, claiming Tyabb used an ineligible player as a sub-fielder, was upheld by the MPCA.

The grand final victory was awarded to Crib Point.

Tyabb says it is considering an appeal, claiming the rule involving the use of substitute fielders was “ambiguous”.

It has 14 days to challenge the decision and must put up a $500 bond it if chooses to.

Tyabb C3 captain Cameron Colvin says he’s surprised and disappointed with how it’s played out since his side celebrated victory.

“Gee, C3 cricket has never been so important,” he said on Wednesday morning.

“We put together a team with a few Tyabb footballers at the start of the season because they were bored after they missed out on their season.

“We had a bit of fun up until now, and now it’s all sheep stations.

“Cribby has thrown in this protest with the sub fielder, and want to take it off us — or have, momentarily.”

Colvin said one of his players wasn’t available for part of Sunday. The one-day game started on Saturday but rain forced the game to continue into the Sunday.

Colvin contacted Tyabb thirds captain Jack Whitehouse and asked him if he could step in as sub fielder.

“We got washed out on the Saturday...and one of my boys couldn’t be there for the start (on Sunday) because of personal reasons,” Colvin said.

Colvin said he asked the umpire and opposition captain, Manney Beasley, for permission and was given the green light.

But according to MPCA rules, a substitute fielder has to be qualified to play in that grade in a grand final. Whitehouse wasn’t.

“I asked Manny in front of the whole team and a couple of blokes arked up and said, ‘is he on the team sheet?’,” Colvin said.

“I said, ‘no, he’s from the thirds, he’s not on the team sheet’. I was up front and honest. They said, ‘well you can’t have him’. I said, ‘fine, fine’. I put my arms up and walked off.

“But Manny followed me. I was prepared to go with 10. He chased me and said, ‘Cam, the game’s been played in good spirits, of course I’m not going to begrudge you of a sub’. I said thanks for that.”

Colvin said Whitehouse was on the ground for about 20 overs, took a catch but only fielded “a handful of balls”.

“It had no effect on the result,” he said.

“So we’ve won and celebrated and they’ve put a protest in. So they’ve virtually said you can have the sub but now that we’ve lost you can’t.

“I can sleep easy at night knowing I didn’t try and cheat, I didn’t try and gain an advantage. I just thought I could have one and it turns out I couldn’t.

“Even if we appeal and win it, it still takes the gloss off it.”

MPCA general manager Ian Benson said a document covering rules was sent out to all clubs involved in grand finals on the Thursday before the game.

“We put out a document outlining a number of points on the Thursday...players had to eligible for that game,” he said.

“There’s a rule you’ve got to play five games in that grade or lower.”