The Western Province Cricket Association have rendered all premier league and first division A matches played in the second round of the 2019-20 season invalid.
The 2019-20 WPCA club cricket season ended prematurely last month as a preventative measure against the coronavirus pandemic.
“The WPCA local leagues and cricket committee have been in consultation with regards to finalising promotion and relegation, where a recommendation was sent to the WPCA board for approval,” read Thursday’s email from WPCA club cricket and facilities coordinator Lindsay O’Malley.
“The recommendation was based on a WPCA by-law (6B and C), which has been standing for the past two seasons, post the drought crisis in South Africa.
“The WPCA board have accepted the recommendation that the by-law is upheld and is applied to the 2019-2020 season. This means all second round matches will be considered null and void and the first round of matches will be considered as final – and log positions will be drawn from this.”
Durbanville Cricket Club’s attempt to belatedly claim points in the premier league standings is among the reasons teams promoted and relegated for the 2020-21 season haven’t been announced yet.
Victoria Cricket Club were awarded full points after Durbanville Cricket Club were deemed to have fielded an ineligible player in 9 November 2019’s WPCA premier league fixture. Durbanville Cricket Club, however, have formally challenged the decision.
Durbanville Cricket Club vs Victoria Cricket Club timeline
- 10 November 2019: Victoria Cricket Club lodged complaint
- 15 November 2019: Durbanville Cricket Club countered
- 17 January 2020: WPCA ruled against Durbanville Cricket Club
- 22 January 2020: Durbanville Cricket Club appealed ruling
- 11 March 2020: WPCA rejected Durbanville Cricket Club’s appeal
- 18 March 2020: Durbanville Cricket Club disputed WPCA’s rejection
“There are expected delays to the premier league and first division A logs due to the pending arbitration case as well as the transformation review. The logs will now be verified and then released to all,” added O’Malley.
What the WPCA by-law says about promotion and relegation in ‘abnormal circumstances’
The relevant WPCA by-law states: “The WPCA executive board, in consultation with the WPCA members’ council, may in the event of abnormal circumstances such as a water crisis/drought curtail the season.
“In such an event and provided it is possible to play a single round of matches, promotion and relegation shall be determined by the log standings after the completion of the first round of matches (each team to have played each other team at least once).
“In the event of the commencement of the second round of matches and the season curtails, any second round matches played will not be considered for the purposes of the log positions. To achieve promotion and relegation, provision will be made for all teams who have not completed the first round matches to do so.
“First round matches which have not been completed on the date of curtailment shall be played on a date and at a venue as determined by the WPCA local leagues committee.”