CLUBS MEETING OVER POINTS

LOCAL cricket’s player points saga continues to drag on, with Torquay sending a detailed legal response to a proposed resolution from the Geelong Cricket Association.

The GCA will meet with its solicitor today to plot a way forward after the Tigers sent a three-page letter in response to a letter of resolution from the association.

Torquay is defending itself over allegations it breached the player points cap in a series of matches before Christmas.

“The club remains in confidential mediation discussions with the association,” interim Tigers president Rob Dunne said last night.

“The club has provided further information regarding the calculation of points and it understands the association will require further time within which to consider this information before making any formal decision.

“It has become clear to the club during this process that the association’s governance documents are deficient and, further, the points system is overly complex and has been the subject of significant undisclosed changes before the start of the current season.

“Further, in relation to the points system, it is too complex to be understood by any of the association’s member clubs and yet it contains significant gaps and inequities.

“The club is therefore of the view that the entire system should be simplified with a focus on high-quality players rather than those who have played a low standard of hardwicket cricket. The club reiterates its wish to resolve this matter and its committee is working around the clock in order to deal with the matter as efficiently as possible.”

While neither party would comment on the specifics, there is a belief at club level that the GCA had tabled a compromised offer to Torquay in a bid to end the drawn-out saga.

There is a feeling that any game Torquay won while exceeding the cap would become a draw under the GCA’s offer, as opposed to GCA rule 14.7 that states clubs stand to lose first-innings points.

About five matches are believed to be in question, though that number has not been confirmed.

Torquay believes the GCA has some level of responsibility for the situation, given it initially ticked off on the points allocations that subsequently came into question after Round 6, at which point the Tigers were 5-1. With rival GCA2 clubs seeking answers, the GCA executive will hold a meeting tonight with the seven other clubs.

GCA president Barry McFarlane said the association wanted to get to a conclusion.

The Tigers shot to second on the ladder after defeating Bell Park on Saturday.