By DAVID NAGEL
A BREACH of its player-points limit has seen Buckley Ridges lose 12 match points to be relegated from first to fifth, meaning it will now miss out on a place in this season’s Dandenong District Cricket Association (Turf 1) finals series.
The penalty handed out by the DDCA executive was for a breach in Buckley’s round seven one-day clash against Berwick at Park Oval on Saturday 11 January.
Buckley’s interpretation that all-rounder Francois Haasbroek fitted into the Premier or Overseas player category, and was therefore worth four player points, was deemed inaccurate by the DDCA, who slotted the overseas import into the First Class category, worth five points.
The extra player point saw Buckley exceed the maximum of 23 points allowed by clubs in the Turf 1 or Turf 2 competitions. The introduction of a second overseas import in round seven pushed Buckley over the limit.
DDCA secretary Ray Nicholls said that while Buckley Ridges had breached the player points system from round seven, all the way through to completion of the season in round 11, the first breach was the only one that would be penalised.
“That’s our policy, and has been in the past for playing an unregistered or ineligible player,” Nicholls said.
“As far as the association is concerned, the rules are very clear. They (Buckley Ridges) have gone away to gather their thoughts and they have asked if there is an appeals process in place.
“They’ve gone from the top of the ladder to out. That would stick in anybody’s craw.”
Buckley Ridges vice-president Ben Corrie refused to comment when asked about the matter.
This weekend’s Turf 1 semi-finals will now see Springvale South host HSD at Alex Nelson Reserve while Parkfield will roll out the welcome mat to Mordialloc at Parkfield Reserve.
