Ocean Grove disqualified from the C1 grand final for using an ineligible player in the semi against Jan Juc

A local cricket club has been left “devastated” after an administrative error saw its team disqualified from the grand final. Here’s how it played out.

Ocean Grove Cricket Club’s C1 team has been disqualified from the grand final after fielding an ineligible player in the semi.

Ocean Grove Cricket Club has been left “devastated” after losing its place in a C1 grand final this weekend for fielding an ineligible player in a semi.

The Grubbers had belted Jan Juc at Ocean Grove Memorial Recreation Reserve by 171 runs after rolling the Sharks for just 62.

However, it later became apparent Ocean Grove had used a player who was not eligible to play in the BPCA game.

League president Ian Caldwell said Ocean Grove had dropped three players back for the C1 semi-final from a higher grade when two was the maximum under competition rules.

“When you’ve got consecutive sides (qualifying for finals), as Ocean Grove did with B and C (grade), you group them together and the club is able to play up to two players, who didn’t qualify in the C grade but qualified for the B grade, in the C grade team,” Caldwell said.

BPCA president Ian Caldwell said Ocean Grove players had been left “devastated” by the mistake.

“What Ocean Grove inadvertently did, they selected three people, not two.

“Which made that team ineligible.

“It wasn’t deliberate, it was just an oversight and the people doing a calculation at the club, stuffed up.

“It happened last year to Barwon Heads.

“One would have anticipated the clubs would have been across it more diligently this year.

“(Ocean Grove are) obviously devastated, it’s gut-wrenching.

“They go out there playing in a semi-final ... and win ... only to discover there was stuff up and they’ve been ruled out.”

He said Ocean Grove’s C1 captain bravely fronting up to the league’s annual awards at Leopold Sportsmans Club on Wednesday night.

“He wasn’t his normal, bubbly self,” he said.

“It took a lot of courage just to come along last night ... to say: ‘OK I’m gutted but I’m here’.”

In a cheeky Facebook post this week, Jan Juc Cricket Club posted a picture of Steven Bradbury – who famously won a gold medal in the 1000m short track speed skating event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents fell over – celebrating its fortunate entry into the decider.

“Let’s hope they can also slide in for the win,” the club said.

Originally published as Ocean Grove disqualified from the C1 grand final for using an ineligible player in the semi against Jan Juc