Lowdham v Caribs - the official verdict by Dennis Wright, 29th June 2003
Disciplinary Hearing - Lowdham Cricket Club - 20 June 2003
Disciplinary Committee result of the disciplinary hearing held at Lowdham C.C. on Friday 20 June 2003.
Offence
The offence alleged was that of playing two ineligible players, Henderson Jordan and Wasim Karim, in the Raleigh Cup match played between Lowdham C.C. and West Indian Caribs C.C. on Sunday 8 June 2003
Relevant Rules
The relevant League rules are:
Rule 1.
The name of the League shall be “The Gunn and Moore South Nottinghamshire Cricket League”
Rule 10d
No player can play for more than one Club in the League in any one season, except with the approval of the Management Committee following agreement with two officials of the Club holding the current registration and two officials of the proposed Club.
Cup rule 17
A player can play for only one Club in the Cup competitions in any one season. A Club will select its team from players that are playing regularly within the appropriate divisions or lower……..The Management Committee reserves the right to decide on the eligibility of a Club, team or player.
Findings
The Disciplinary Committee make the following findings:
1. Henderson Jordan was registered as a player for Lowdham C.C. in accordance with League rules at the start of the season.
2. Henderson Jordan netted with Lowdham C.C. during the winter and Lowdham C.C. hoped he would play some Saturday cricket for the Club during the season.
3. Henderson Jordan has not played any matches for Lowdham C.C. in the League, having played his Saturday cricket for Retford C.C. in the Bassetlaw League.
4. Wasim Karim was registered using a supplementary registration form received by the appropriate divisional representative on 4 June 2003.
5. Wasim Karim is a registered player for Thrumpton C.C. in Division 1c of the League. He has played regularly for Thrumpton in Division 1c both before and after 8 June 2003.
6. Lowdham C.C. did not know Wasim Karim was a registered player for Thrumpton until immediately prior to the Match.
7. On discovering that Wasim Karim was a registered player for Thrumpton, Ian Griffiths, captain of Lowdham C.C on the day, consulted the League rules and in particular Cup rule 17.
8. Ian Griffiths believed that the rule did not prevent Wasim Karim playing in the match. He interpreted the second part of the rule, “A Club will select its team from players that are playing regularly within the appropriate divisions or lower”, as being aimed at preventing first team cricketers playing in the second team cup competition.
9. Ian Griffiths handed a team sheet to West Indian Caribs C.C. before the game, in accordance with the League rules, and both Henderson Jordan and Wasim Karim were listed on the team sheet.
10. Both Henderson Jordan and Wasim Karim played in the Match and both were accurately named on the results sheet .
11. Lowdham C.C. won the Match. Henderson Jordan scored 54 and Wasim Karim scored 31 and took one wicket and as such made a material contribution to Lowdham’s victory.
12. Lowdham C.C. have been open and honest and have made no attempts to conceal the fact that either player played in the game. Lowdham C.C. genuinely believed that both players were eligible to play in the Match.
Decision of the Disciplinary Committee
The disciplinary Committee finds as follows:
1. Both Henderson Jordan and Wasim Karim, were registered in accordance with the League rules.
2. Rule 10d states that no player can play for more than one Club in the League in any one season, except with the approval of the Management Committee following agreement with two officials of the Club holding the current registration and two officials of the proposed Club.
3. The Disciplinary Committee interprets the term “League” in this rule, in accordance with Rule 1, as referring to the Gunn and Moore South Nottinghamshire Cricket League and therefore deems it to incorporate the cup competitions run by the League.
4. Under Rule 10d, Wasim Karim, being a registered Thrumpton player, was therefore not eligible to play for Lowdham C.C. in the Match.
5. Cup Rule 17 states that A Club will select its team from players that are playing regularly within the appropriate divisions or lower. The Disciplinary Committee finds that this rule does not refer only to Clubs playing in the second team cup competition. The rule means that a Club shall select its team from those players regularly playing in the Division of the League in which the Club plays.
6. Neither Henderson Jordan nor Wasim Karim have played a match for Lowdham CC in Division 1e of the League and they have not therefore played regularly for Lowdham CC in Divison 1e.
7. Under Cup Rule 17, Henderson Jordan and Wasim Karim were therefore not eligible to play for Lowdham CC in the Match.
The Disciplinary Committee’s decision is therefore that Lowdham CC played two ineligible players in the Match and the Club is therefore expelled from this season’s Raleigh Cup. West Indian Caribs CC will take the place of Lowdham CC in the next round.
The Disicplinary Committee considered whether in addition to expulsion from the Cup competition, a fine was appropriate. However, in view of the fact that Lowdham CC, and particularly Ian Griffiths, have been open and honest throughout the investigation and the hearing, and the fact that there was no deliberate attempt to break the League Rules, but rather a misinterpretation of the rules, no fine will be levied.
The Disciplinary Committee also express their disappointment at the conduct of some individuals on the League website. Some of the accusations made on the website were entirely inappropriate and the Committee will ensure that an accurate account of this decision is posted on the website in order to seek to prevent any further inappropriate accusations. The Committee shall not do so until the outcome of an Appeal, if appropriate.
