Well done to all our teams whose season has finished or concludes in the coming weeks. Thanks to our coaches and managers, umpires and scorers, team officials and supporters for making the season happen. Good luck to those teams playing finals. It was nice to hear a parent whose son's team was knocked out last weekend talking positively about a result which could have easily gone either way. If it's a competitive match played in good spirit, both teams have had a win. To head off concerns around fairness on a few issues which have been raised as we approach the final weeks, here are some rules and guidelines to keep in mind:
Player eligibility. Rule 18.6 of the Junior Cricket Handbook provides advice on how eligibility is determined.
18.6.1 - A player must have played a minimum of six matches with that team across all formats to be eligible to play in a finals match with that team.
Where a player is not eligible, the CACT Competition Manager (CM) may approve participation. Please contact our JCC rep - Paul Singer, should you wish to seek approval for a player who hasn't qualified with 6 games, or if concerned about the eligibility of an opponent.
Players dropping down stages and divisions. If a player has played across multiple stages, having played in a higher stage does not automatically disqualify them from playing in a lower stage final. E.g. If a player was registered in Stage 3 Div 1 and played more games in Colts, they are still eligible to play Stage 3 Div 1 finals.
In a slightly different scenario, Rule 4.4 states that a player graded in a higher division may not play in a lower division (of the same stage). If a player has played 3 matches in Stage 3 Div 1, they don't qualify for Stage 3 Div 2 finals, for example.
CACT CM can grant exceptions if necessary and balanced decisions are achievable in all cases. Where questions arise about eligibility, please contact Paul who can contact CACT CM and review if necessary.
Coaching from the field. CACT and MCCCC retain the position that from Stage 2 Div 1 and above, umpires should not coach from the field and coaches should only umpire as a last resort. One reason for this is simply the impression it gives opponent players when an umpire provides assistance to the other side during the match. Coaching as an umpire would include setting the field, directing bowling changes, giving technique pointers etc. Where coaches identify it as something influencing the outcome of match, they should discuss this with the opponent coach. If coaches cannot agree and the practice has had a tangible impact on the outcome of the game, coaches can contact their stage coordinator to discuss a resolution.
Thanks to Paul for clarifying the CACT position on these matters this week.
These points are passed following recent questions and noting the upcoming finals. Although these and other things can be controversial, they are minor matters in comparison to the main outcome of building solid team environments, developing our cricketers, and creating enjoyable competitive cricket matches which our players look forward to. I wish to thank all our coaches, managers and volunteers for their outstanding efforts this season. We, and our opponents, do an incredible job making enjoyable cricket matches happen for the boys.
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