Push to scrap rule that cost Rockets

A LEADING Geelong cricket administrator will push to scrap a controversial net runrate rule that denied the Barwon Rockets a chance to win a state championship.

Barwon region president Ian Caldwell intends to move a motion at the next Victorian Country Cricket League delegates meeting to have the rules amended after the under-21 grand final ended in farcical circumstances on Sunday.

Posting 251, the Rockets had North East Country in trouble at 2-35 after 10 overs when rain intervened.

The match was eventually abandoned at Ringwood’s Jubilee Park, with North East awarded the premiership on the back of a superior net runrate in the two previous roundrobin games.

The ruling left the Rockets privately seething, while North East declined medals and caps at a sombre post-match presentation.

Caldwell, who is the Barwon region delegate, is proposing both sides be declared winners if the grand final is not completed due to rain.

“I’ll move a motion at the next VCCL delegates meeting, that in similar circumstances where rain intervenes, that both sides be declared joint winners,” Caldwell said.

“In the past there have been joint winners. I know people don’t like joint winners, but how do you adjudicate one winner? There’s always going to be one unhappy team (if rules remain unchanged).

“If it was a preliminary game, the points would have been shared.”

Had the Rockets played a further 10 overs, it would have constituted a match and the Duckworth-Lewis system would have come into consideration if rain again stopped play.

But instead, both teams were left to rue what might have been.