Panthers to stay put
Ruling on fourths scuppers promotion
BELL Post Hill has indicated it will reject an offer to play in Division 1 next season as the GCA hits another promotionrelegation delay.
As clubs remain in limbo while the GCA struggles to finalise league structures for the 2018-19 season, the Panthers will vote on a potential promotion at their AGM on Monday night after being offered the position.
It means GCA1 woodenspooner Murgheboluc will likely survive another season in the top level if the Panthers knock back promotion.
The sticking point in negotiations is a requirement for all Division 1 clubs to play two-day cricket in the fourth grade. Bell Post Hill and GCA2 premier Bell Park are unable to field a fourth twoday side.
The GCA executive met on Wednesday night to confirm the structure for next season, with two options on the table. One offered greater flexibility for one-day cricket in lower grades, while the other made it mandatory for GCA1 clubs to field four twoday sides.
The plans also involved bringing hard-wicket clubs Bannockburn and Teesdale into a turf competition.
But while the league opted for the second option after a marathon hearing, it failed to reach an agreement on all aspects, forcing president Barry McFarlane to postpone discussions on hard-wicket for another fortnight.
“The only decision we made is Division 1 will continue to comprise clubversus-club in all four grades,” McFarlane said.
“We’ve put that to Bell Post Hill and they will make a decision on whether they can meet that commitment.
“If they can commit to that structure, they will play in Division 1. If they can’t, Murgheboluc will stay in Division 1.”
McFarlane said a host of GCA1 clubs had indicated they wanted to play two-day cricket from the firsts to the fourths, to the dismay of clubs bidding for promotion.
“We did a recent survey of clubs and it was virtually unanimous that they want to continue to play two-day cricket,” he said.
While acknowledging a decision to retain two-day cricket in the fourths made it almost impossible for GCA2 clubs to be promoted, he said the GCA was ultimately guided by the feedback.
“You’ve got to have a structure where clubs have an opportunity (to go up),” McFarlane said.
“The way it is now, most, if not all, (GCA2) clubs have two turf wicket sides and one two-day hard-wicket sides.”
Panthers president Mark Brady said a decision had not been taken but he believed his club would lean towards remaining in Division 2.
“Two weeks ago, we were going up,” Brady said.
“We had a good feeling that fourth XI cricket would all be one-dayers, but now that we know it’s not the case, we’re not confident.”