Snedden leads overhaul of Whanganui cricket
Board agrees to independent scrutiny of body
An independent assessor is to be brought in to make a top-down review of Cricket Wanganui. The new board under chairman Stuart Gillespie voted to approve an independent review of the entire organisation after a meeting with Central Districts chief executive Peter De Wet and former Black Cap Martin Snedden, now a board member with NZ Cricket.
Last Thursday night’s meeting came nominally after the unabated issue for the Air Chathams Wanganui representative team, where leading players keep withdrawing themselves from selection, with the side again needing dispensation for having more than one overseas player this season.
Other major issues have been the departure of the Marton Saracens from Premier 1 cricket this summer through a lack of numbers, rancour between the clubs regarding some sides bringing in overseas players, alleged uneven distribution of resources and coaching, and personal issues between certain players and Cricket Wanganui personnel.
“It’s not one particular thing, but the whole lot,” said Gillespie of the depth and breadth of the review.
“The constitution, the junior board, the senior board.”
Gillespie, who has looked at structure changes since he was voted in back in August, said the constitution used to govern Cricket Wanganui had been amended in the past but is outdated and probably should not have been put in place to begin with.
“The constitution Cricket Wanganui was operating under does not suit Whanganui cricket.”
Previous boards had also considered an internal review but parochialism, one of the very issues causing problems, would have likely stymied it. “It was to be done in-house, and no one was going to win from that,” said Gillespie.
“The most important thing is the board has voted to have the review done by an independent assessor.
“This is something as a board we’ve been moving towards and waiting for guidance from CD cricket and NZ Cricket and how we should progress.”
When contacted yesterday, Snedden directed all comments on the review to Gillespie, but it is likely as a lawyer and very successful New Zealand sports administrator that he will choose the individual to undertake the review.
“We’re still waiting for that person to be identified,” said Gillespie.
“[We want it] ASAP, but talking to Martin we won’t get it till mid-January.
“It will be a respected, independent assessor.”
At Thursday’s meeting, De Wet brought over a copy of a constitution being used by another minor association which is a similar size to Cricket Wanganui, but Snedden said it was not suitable for this local body.
Gillespie also emphasised the review was not about settling scores.
“It’s going to put a lot of minds at ease. It’s not a witch hunt.
“There’s a few people out there that think it’s the start of something major, and it’s not, I assure you.”
Representatives of Whanganui’s four major clubs have all welcomed a review by neutral eyes.
“We’re definitely after some clarity,” said United’s Gerard Hobbs.
“We just feel like Cricket Wanganui aren’t developing players, and [other] players aren’t getting a turn, getting pushed out.
“I’ve got a young girl playing cricket and I’m not sure even where she’s going to play.
“Martin Snedden coming to a meeting — he wouldn’t come if it wasn’t a big deal,” Hobbs said.
“We’re just glad the board has made it okay for [an assessor] to come in.”
Dominic Rayner is still club captain of the Marton Saracens while playing for Marist in Premier 1 without a 1st XI for his club.
“We’re supportive of [independent review]. Transparency is the main thing,” he said.
“We actually haven’t had a huge input from Cricket Wanganui for the past decade.”
Rayner got Rangitikei school children to fill out the Saracens ranks last year but still defaulted several games, and said there has not been the necessary support to develop players in the wider region.
“I don’t know when it fell apart, but it’s like they concentrate on Hunterville and Huntley [School].
“Need more in the Rangitikei. Be seen in the area. We’d like to see where all the money goes.”
Marist Premier captain John McIlraith has to wear two hats on the issue as he is also a new Cricket Wanganui board member under Gillespie.
“I can’t really say much. It’s a review, guess it will be good to see what happens,” McIlraith said.
Tech manager Andrew Lock, also reappointed as Wanganui representative manager this season, agreed an outsider is the best option because they are above local squabbles.
“It’s somewhat juvenile at times, so it’s got to be a bonus,” he said. “[I’m] more than happy for someone to come in.”