Christchurch club cricket dispute resolved

A panel of independent commissioners has ruled in favour of High School Old Boys Cricket Club following an appeal to the Canterbury Cricket Association Board of Directors relating to play on the second day of a two-day match on December 7, 2002.

The umpires of the match, between High School Old Boys and Marist, allowed play to continue for an hour longer than other senior club matches in Christchurch on the day, allowing High School Old Boys to reach an outright win.

Other senior Christchurch clubs, outside of the game in question, lodged a protest with Canterbury Cricket, citing that according to Rule 24A and the amendment of September 25, 2002 precluded any time being extended on the second day of a two-day game. This protest was upheld by Canterbury Cricket, however High School Old Boys appealed this decision and requested a review.

The review was granted by the Canterbury Cricket Board of Directors and a panel appointed.

The panel, selected by the Board of the Canterbury Cricket Association in accordance with the Association's constitution, consisted of Code of Conduct Commissioners Lee Robinson and Keith Hales and Brian Adams (Canterbury Cricket Association President) ruled in favour of High School Old Boys, citing that the umpires have the "sole responsibility for the correctness of scores" (Law 21.8) and "once the umpires have agreed with the scorers the correctness of the score at the conclusion of the match - the result cannot thereafter be changed" (Law 21.10).

Due to the hearing, High School Old Boys have now been rewarded 12 points for the outright win plus 0.5 bonus points for wickets taken, this now elevates High School Old Boys from second to first on the senior two-day competition table.