UPPER HAUGH THROWN OUT OF LEAGUE
UPPER Haugh Cricket Club have been thrown out of the Readers South Yorkshire League following their failure to fulfil a crucial promotion fixture with Darfield on September 18.
A dispute over allocation of players between the club's first and second team captains, prevented a swift resolution to a minor problem which has now escalated into expulsion for the Harding Avenue club.
Upper Haugh's first XI had only eight players available, and as league rules state, they must use second team players to make up their 11.
But the second XI were also involved in a crucial final league fixture, and their captain Steve Pearce would not provide Chris Lambert, skipper of the first XI, with any players.
Both teams contacted the league's chairman and secretary, when the consequences of their actions were stressed to them.
A compromise between the two captains could not be reached and the fixture was cancelled.
The club appealed to the league, but were thrown out at a committee meeting last week for what the management committee decreed as "not only contempt for the league and its officials but also a fellow league club."
Darfield could have secured promotion to the Premier Division with victory, but subsequently finished third.
Secretary of Upper Haugh CC, Roy Hamshaw, said: "We were expecting a heavy fine and dropping down a couple of divisions. We didn't expect total expulsion. It's a bit severe.
"I think the problem was we acted a bit too slowly for the committee's liking."
The league afforded the club a chance to explain its actions but were dissatisfied by the evidence provided.
General secretary of the league, Jim Beachill, said: "The appeals committee met with Upper Haugh representatives, and after listening to their submission concluded that the officials and players of the club were all responsible for its conduct in all matters and must bear the consequences of their action.
"They accordingly upheld the decision of the management committee and Upper Haugh will not be competing in the South Yorkshire League in the foreseeable future."
Upper Haugh secretary Roy Hamshaw has said that the club will not fold and will look to carry on in another league.
Said Roy: "Upper Haugh has a good junior section so we want to carry on playing cricket.
"The juniors have a league but we need a senior team for them to filter through to."
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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