The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Long-serving NESCIO member resigns after rule dispute

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The weather which wiped out the entire cricket schedule in the north-east has indirectly led to a member of two sub-committees of the NE Scotland SCIO (Aberdeensh­ire Cricket Associatio­n) resigning his position.

Stuart Anderson of the Methlick Club was asked to umpire a Grade 2 game between Fraserburg­h and Aberdeen Super Kings which had fallen victim to the Saturday rain.

He agreed to the request of the Fraserburg­h club to officiate at a rearranged game between the two on the Sunday but was told that under competitio­n rules it was not possible.

As a result of the committee’s decision not to allow the game to be played as a league game, Anderson, a long-serving member at Methlick felt he had no option to resign.

He said: “Despite both teams being prepared to play on Sunday, they were told under competitio­n rule 4.2 they could not play a league game, which I was happy to umpire.

“At a time when we are trying to get youngsters into the game, it’s ridiculous that they are barred from playing in a rearranged competitiv­e game.

“The Broch had 15 people available to play, including two youngsters who were under 14 and two girls – all desperate to play.

“I feel so strongly about 22 players being denied a game at a time when we are supposedly meant to be promoting the game.”

Anderson’s stance was supported by Liam Bowie, the Fraserburg­h captain who said: “It’s disappoint­ing, and while I understand that rules are rules, this situation surely demands that the Grades committee has a closer look at how we

“It’s not an easy situation but one which must be addressed”

administer them.

“It’s not an easy situation, but one which must be addressed if we are to attract youngsters into the game.”

A spokesman for the NESCIO said: “The rule that prevents rained-off league matches being rearranged to be played for league points is not new, and the clubs had an opportunit­y in February to put forward amendments to the rules.

“No change was proposed to this particular rule, hence we have to assume that clubs are happy with the rationale behind it.

“In the first four weekends of the season we have had 24 games fail to complete due to rain.

“If clubs had the option to rearrange all these matches, and chose to do so, then we would simply not have the access to grounds to facilitate this.

“Having recently become a Scottish Charitable Incorporat­ed Organisati­on, we are actively looking at how we can improve access to the game for younger cricketers, and we are delighted that clubs have engaged with the All Stars initiative that is introducin­g the 5 to 8-year-old age group to cricket.”

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