| The 1st XI has had points deducted
for slow over rates at both their home games this season.
After a single point deduction in the game against Axminster the
side was docked two points for the Bovey Tracey match at Kensham
Park leaving Club Chairman Derrick Foan describing the deduction
as �harsh�, he said:
�The rule governing time allowance, which dictates
that any stoppage MUST be two minutes before it is recorded,
is absolutely bizarre! It is also obscure that the Devon
Cricket League expects 17 overs when first class cricket
requires only 15 to be bowled in the hour and it is worth
mentioning that those games are played in near perfect
weather conditions. As a compromise, I feel that 16 overs
per hour would indeed be more "workable", thus allowing for
a much more considered and representative game of cricket.�
He also commented:
�As a spectator at the game with Bovey Tracey, I
witnessed several stoppages of less than two minutes all of
which added to the infringement, but would not have been
recorded. These I believe contributed, with good common
sense, to an agreed one point penalty and I am surprised
that two have been deducted.�
Skipper Chris Acton said:
�There's nothing that we can do about this, the rule
is there for all to see and we'll just have to take the
deduction on the chin and get on with the job in hand of
winning cricket matches!�
Club Secretary Chris Dean adds:
�To avoid re-occurrence of further penalties, clearly
the fielders/bowlers are going to have to pick up their pace
between balls/overs but it does seem very harsh and it might
well be worth raising this issue with Divisional Committee,
especially the anachronism that first class cricket's over
rate = 15 per hour (and that the penalties are set at 0.5
increments) or to suggest that when the weather is "dicky",
further flexibility should be allowed by the formal
declaration (by the umpires) of a "wet" match lowering the
over rate to (say) 16 overs for that game.�
The upshot of this - okay a couple of points docked, but that
should only serve to make the 1st XI even more determined to
regain them by winning even more games - here's to more
victories! |
