Cricket.
MANNING Cricket Association this week stripped Great Lakes (2) of the fourth grade minor premiership, fined the Great Lakes club $500 and suspended an official for 12 months.
Both Great Lakes fourth grade teams were docked 30 points.
The previous week the association removed Great Lakes (1) from the semi-finals series for what secretary Craig Rees described as 'discrepancies' from the February 16 game between the two Great Lakes sides.
Initially Great Lakes (2) would have played in the grand final this Saturday against the winner of the Great Lakes (1) and Taree West final, set down for last weekend. Now the fourth grade grand final will be played on Saturday March 23, with Great Lakes (1) and Mt George to play in the final this Saturday.
Taree West has gained the other grand final berth.
Manning Cricket president Shane Nash stressed there was no suggestion that the Great Lakes club acted 'corruptly.'
"They had one official entering the scores from four grades and that was stupid on their behalf,'' he said.
Mr Nash added that the club has been fined for 'negligence.'
It's understood the official who entered the scores has been suspended and will not be able to hold any board position for 12 months.
According to the scores on the website in the match in question, Great Lakes (2) crashed to be all out for 79.
Great Lakes (1) lost two wickets in the run chase.
However, Great Lakes (2) comfortably won the minor premiership, finishing the competition proper on 42 points.
Great Lakes (1) were second on 27 followed by Taree West on 25 and Mt George on 22.
That was before the points were deducted from the Great Lakes teams.
Great Lakes (2)?initially went straight through to the grand final when the major semi-final was washed out.
A spokesman for Great Lakes agreed there had been 'mistakes' made in entering the scores, but argued it was human error.
The spokesman added that had the club been made aware of the situation, the error would have been rectified before the start of the semi-finals.
The club was represented at this week's meeting, the spokesman describing the outcome as 'pretty ordinary.'
It is further understood the suspended official will consider appealing, but no decision has yet been made.
Manning Cricket Association played the fourth grade competition for the first time this year. This came into play after one full round of third grade was decided, with the bottom four sides on the ladder then making up fourth grade.
Mr Nash hopes the concept continues next season, believing it helps bridge the gulf between the standard of teams in third grade.
"We get a lot of juniors playing third grade who are a level above a lot of the older blokes who are just playing for a bit of fun on a Saturday afternoon,'' he explained.
"This means the older blokes can still play and enjoy their cricket without getting flogged every weekend. '
Meanwhile grand finals of the association's first second and third grade competitions will be played on Saturday.
Old Bar and Taree Leagues will meet in every match - Mr Nash believing this to be a first for Manning Cricket.
