Club lodges draw appeal

Joeys wants GCA hearing into washout

AN ANGRY St Joseph’s has lodged an appeal over Saturday’s controversial draw against Leopold, seeking six premiership points after it was denied the chance to win the game.

Joeys president Andrew Downie yesterday confirmed the club had requested a hearing into the washed-out clash, which was abandoned when the Lions refused to sign a JLT insurance form due to a liability concern after a week of rain.

The GCA’s management committee will sit tomorrow night to determine the result.

The three-member panel will also decide if Bell Park has a case to answer following a complaint by Manifold Heights over the condition of the Hamlyn Park pitch.

The Sharks lodged an appeal with the GCA, claiming they were forced to play on an unsuitable wicket in GCA2 on Saturday, leading to an embarrassing outright defeat. Chasing 257, Manifold Heights was routed for 65 and 116, losing all 20 wickets inside a day.

In GCA1, St Joseph’s did not get the chance to take the field at Memorial Park.

Defending 271, Joeys had agreed to take the field, but Leopold captain Pat Richards de- cided against ticking off a JLT checklist, alleviating any liability the Lions would have faced if a player was injured.

Downie said the club would dispute the official result.

“Our appeal is based on the fact that we don’t believe any effort was made to prepare the ground,” Downie said.

“We don’t think it was a fair opportunity to play a game of cricket. The fact that the JLT (checklist) was used ... we just weren’t happy with it.”

With Leopold unwilling to sign the form, and confusion over who takes liability if the home club deems its venue unsafe and a player gets injured, the game was abandoned.

GCA president Barry McFarlane moved to clarify the rules after a conference call with Cricket Victoria officials.

“The rules of cricket state that the umpires have total control of the match,” McFarlane said.

“If a captain refuses to sign off on a JLT checklist, the two umpires have the right to say the ground is fit for play and overrule the captain, and anything happens, such as a player gets injured, they are covered by way of insurance and they can’t be sued. So in good faith if the umpires deem the ground fit for play, then the game goes ahead.”

Should a team then refuse to take the field, McFarlane said that side would forfeit the game.

Downie said the players were furious to be denied the opportunity to win the game.

“I wasn’t there, but from what I’ve been told there was a wet patch on the square two or three pitches across from the playing strip and that was the basis for them (Leopold) not signing off on the JLT (checklist), which I found mysterious given we were the fielding side and they were the batting team,” Downie said.

“I don’t know how wide their batsmen were going to choose to run, but I don’t think there was anything to stop them batting.

“If there was a risk, and I don’t believe it was significant, it would have been towards our captain and our players and we had no issue in signing off the JLT (checklist).”

Leopold president Darren Barmby said: “At this stage we decline to comment and let due process take its course”.

Leopold wasn’t the only club to refuse to sign the JLT insurance checklist, with Waurn Ponds captain Darcy Southern choosing not to tick it off. But the game went ahead.

MEANWHILE, GCA turf clubs are set to receive their share of $250,000 in council funding for turf facilities.

The City of Greater Geelong is expected to tick off on the new agreement at its council meeting tonight.