A local cricket club in Melbourne’s south east is entrenched in a battle with the Victorian Metro Cricket Union over the suspension of one of its players.
Heatherhill, which plays out the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association, is fighting the VMCU over the details of the suspension given to year-round cricketer Adeel Hussain.
Hussain played for Heatherhill last summer and for Preston Druids in this winter’s Mid Year Cricket Association.
During the last match of the MYCA season, on Sunday, July 9, Hussain was suspended for engaging in an altercation with an opposition-provided umpire over the score.
The opposing club captain withdrew his players from the field and forfeited the match.
Hussain was handed a six-month suspension while the player he argued with was cleared.
With the six-month ban set to end on March 30, Hussain will not play a match for Heatherhill this summer but will be eligible to play the very next fixture in the MYCA.
In an email viewed by this masthead, Heatherhill were told the VMCU board motioned an adjustment of the rule in July, allowing Hussain’s suspension to begin during the winter season on April 1.
However, discouraging association feedback around the motion resulted in the VMCU turning on their decision and sticking to its original ban policy.
The final verdict was sent to Heatherhill on September 19, two weeks before the opening round of the MPCA season.
Heatherhill president Zach Horsley said the murkiness of the ruling and his adjudication “restricted” his club in its preparation.
“Seven weeks ago these conversations started and it was indicated to me that a change was going to be made, so we prepared to have a season with Adeel,” he said.
“He is our best player, there’s no hiding that, 50 wickets last season and 200 plus runs – he’s a superstar of the competition.
“Going in with the loss of a couple other players, it was important we kept him and unfortunately he is a top-pointed player so we have no room to recruit.
“It was a topical issue because we were restricted in what we could do, we needed an answer to move forward.
“The fact that it wasn’t until two weeks before the season, that we told he was and then wasn’t available because the VMCU changed their mind… it has probably been the most frustrating thing I have had to deal with in my 15 years of a committee member of a club.
“We’re in a position of uncertainty at the moment and in times where it’s really tough to maintain your players, to have a player in limbo has made it even more challenging.”
Horsley is “in no way” questioning Hussain’s suspension, just the timing of it, as he believes the current ruling creates a loophole opportunity.
“In no way are we saying Addy’s actions are okay and don’t deserve any form of punishment,” he said.
“What we’re contending is the suspension start date, we believe it should be seasonal.
“Otherwise it just opens the door for other competitions and other clubs to take this as an opportunity to not miss matches in their prioritised season.
“For instance, if you have a player suspended for five weeks in round 15, you could just say he’s playing in the MYCA and instead of missing those five weeks in the MPCA, he becomes available for round 1.
“The issue doesn’t come down to his actions, his actions were inappropriate, Addy is deeply remorseful too, it just opens up an option to exploit.”
The ruling, under VCMU By-Laws 7.1, will remain.
“Any player, umpire, official or club disqualified by the Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union or a VMCU affiliated association shall be disqualified from playing or participating in any match or any competition of a Member Association or Region until the suspension has been served or removed by the responsible Tribunal or Association Authority,” the rules state.
VCMU has been contacted for comment.
Originally published as A local club in Melbourne’s south east is battling with the VMCU over a suspension ruling
