North Metro Cricket Association clubs vote to uphold Camrea suspension

A local cricket club is weighing up its legal options after rivals voted to uphold a two-year suspension with a controversial decision made on who gets points from the weekend’s games.

North Metro Cricket Association rivals delivered a potentially season-ending verdict to Camrea on Thursday night.

Clubs voted down the Stingrays’ appeal against a two-year ban for “conduct prejudicial to the association and bringing the association into disrepute”, stemming from court action taken earlier this year to overturn an expulsion.

The club’s pleas fell on deaf ears with a vote of almost 80 per cent – 31 for and nine against – upholding the ban.

While Camrea is weighing up its options, it is expected it will take the association back in court if a bid to return to the field this season.

It was originally handed a notice of expulsion following last season’s controversial Quick Shield grand final win over Lalor Warriors.

The Stingrays were reinstated in August but were issued a second expulsion motion three weeks later.

The NMCA board withdrew the expulsion threat earlier this month, instead hitting the club with the two-year suspension.

Camrea secretary John Valiotis, an experienced barrister, said the club had never been afforded a hearing.

“It’s completely bloody-minded, regardless of the rule of law, which I hold dear considering what I do,” Valiotis said.

“As a result of the general meeting Camrea has been suspended wholly for two years and now I’m in the process of providing advice and probably undertaking documents to start proceedings and force an injunction.

“Maybe we’ll get a hearing for the first time in seven months, you would think somewhere along the way if there was a finding of guilt there would have been a hearing.

“A resolution was passed of a finding of guilt, without any recourse to evidentiary tests or anything.”

NMCA president Matthew O’Brien said the clubs had delivered a strong ruling and procedural fairness had been provided.

“I don’t think it brings anyone joy to go through this but from our perspective we had what we consider to be overwhelming support from the members to proceed with the disciplinary procedure,” O’Brien said.

“We’ve said all along our job is to represent the interests and what’s best for the association as a whole and the 1500 members we have.

“We’re of the opinion we’ve provided procedural fairness through the process and one of the members asked the question specifically of Camrea and Camrea responded that procedural fairness was this process.”

As a result of Camrea’s suspension it was unable to take the field on Saturday.

The club’s First XI Jika Shield two-day match against Holy Trinity was still in progress but was abandoned with the Knights awarded six points.

O’Brien plays for Holy Trinity, he took 1-20 from five overs on day one, and Camrea were in a strong position after posting 8-273.

The association president said the decision had been made in conjunction with the operations manager and was confident there were no integrity issues.

“The board and operations manager meet after (Thursday’s meeting) and communicated to clubs that any team that was in the process of playing Camrea or were scheduled to play them on the weekend would receive six points,” O’Brien said.

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“It was a decision from the operations group and board as a whole, I’m pretty confident we were impartial in that respect.

“We’ll give consideration to how previous rounds are also treated, probably the rest of the teams for the year would also get six points.

“I think we’ve shown in the last few years we’ve been able to be impartial, that’s our job as a board, so I don’t have any doubts around the integrity perspective.”

Camrea is scheduled to play Reservoir Cobras at John Hall Reserve this Saturday in a one-day fixture.