The first time I had inkling that all was not sweetness and light in the world of Irish university cricket was when I travelled in on the 19^th May to College Park, Dublin to see the Quarter-Final between National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and Dublin University.

On a glorious sunny afternoon there wasn't a cricketer in sight. When I asked the grounds man was there not a match due to take place he was clearly annoyed saying 'nobody has turned up.' As I found out later Dublin University had called the match off late the night before as they were unable to cobble 5 players together, never mind 11. Some of the Galway players were informed as late as 11pm.

Still, it happens. I reported that NUIG had progressed to the semi-final.

However Intervarsity cricket, run under the auspices of the Irish University Cricket Association (IUCA), it seems, may be perhaps not unlike an Irish referendum. You just keep going until you get the 'right' result.

It is claimed that under pressure from the IUCA, Galway offered a re-match to Dublin University in Galway on Wednesday 2^nd June.

Nitin Bindal, Galway player and Honorary Secretary of the IUCA resigned over the affair. Here he takes up the story.  

'DU responded with the positive and said they would rather play in Dublin but accept the generous offer, but in saying so also stated that they only had 6 players for the game. On Friday (28^th May) after no official confirmation of them travelling with a full team (a minimum of 9 players are required to start a match), NUIG informed the committee of the same. In the mean while DU had informed the committee on Friday night at 10pm that it still only had 6 players. NUIG considered this as confirmation of them being unable to fulfil the fixture and informed its players of the same. On Saturday afternoon, NUIG were told that they must play the fixture because at no point has DU said that they won't travel.

The committee decided that the match is to go ahead. I handed my resignation. I realised that at no point would the IUCA accept the original result - hence the resignation.'

However Galway decided to play the fixture.

Bindal continues: 'NUIG Captain; Fahad Ahmad, Sports Officer; Kathy Hynes and I decided that we would fulfil the fixture as it is the best thing to do for the university - We did not want anybody pointing fingers at us. 

We put together a team (with 5 players who had never played outdoor cricket before as some of the original team had made alternative plans) in the meantime and played the match on Wednesday the 2nd of June. The weird part of it all is - a cricket team which is one of the leading cricketing universities in the country can't fulfil a fixture at home and then they can't confirm a full team even 5 days in advance of a IUCA sanctioned match (the only request we had as some of our boys had to take time off from work and being foreign based students, lose on their only means of income), but they can play friendly matches Vs. UCD and RCSI during the week the offer was made. When we offered them a replay in Galway, we had no idea that they were playing friendlies in Dublin between the original date; the 19th of May and the 26th of May; else we would never have put the offer across even after the pressure from the IUCA.

We at no point were at fault for this fixture and were always willing to play, but it does feel like we committed some sort of crime. Even some of the DU players have made it clear that they are sorry that things went the way they did. Over my 5 years of association with Universities Cricket, it has been very apparent that the hierarchy in place does not wish for expansion of the game. They did something similar to GMIT 3 years ago - they no longer play outdoors, if you notice.'

It is interesting to note the Association's unwillingness to accept the original result of the above match which is significant for our next case study - the quarter-final between 2008 Champions Dublin City University (DCU) and GCD (Griffith College Dublin).

It is alleged that in this match, DCU fielded an illegal player (Sunny Sehrawat - apparently a student of BPP College, Dublin).

In addition the host college DCU did not provide an independent umpire. Nor could they provide a scorebook. This was provided by GCD.

It is alleged also that DCU engaged in some recording of their innings toward the conclusion of the match when their team was chasing down a total, that could politely be described as 'eccentric.'

The scorecards for the respective teams are below. Readers can make up their own minds about the merits of the scorecards kept for each team's innings.

GCDscorecard.pdf (236.26 kb)

DCUscorecard.pdf (230.07 kb)

There was no-one independent at the match other than Association representative Peter Searson who dropped in for a few minutes, signed the cards but left before the conclusion of the match.

Email correspondence between GCD captain, Asad Ali and the Association's Murray Power is below. The DCU captain was contacted but has so far declined to comment.

Though Power sent a strongly worded email to the DCU captain he ultimately did nothing.  

Murray Power accepts that it was an unsatisfactory match given that there was no independent umpire / observer but given the time constraints said the Association had no choice but to accept the original result of the match - a win (apparently) for DCU.

However those comments still leaves the following unanswered questions.

• If time is an issue, how long exactly does it take to play a 10 over match or even a bowl-out between the two Dublin based teams, DCU and GCD, having failed to play out a satisfactory match and agree a result?
• Why were the Association so ready to accept the original result of the match in the case of DCU v GCD but so unwilling in the case of DU v NUIG?
•  The allegations (and I repeat the allegations by Asad Ali are simply that - allegations) are so serious, what exactly are the repercussions for DCU? Or are there any of any consequence?

In another incident, the reigning champions Dublin Business School were thrown out of the tournament for fielding ineligible player (s) in their quarter-final with Waterford Institute of Technology.

In other words, a shambles. What can be done?

Well for a start the Association needs to be consistent and tough with its rulings and it, above all else, absolutely needs be seen to be fair.

The following rules at a minimum need to be implemented next year:

• An independent umpire or observer needs to be present at every match to oversee proceedings
• If either University cannot field a team on the day of the match the opposing team is automatically awarded the match

If the Association fails to address these issues it will simply drive intelligent committed and passionate young men and women away from the game and so significantly hinder its development on this island. 

                                            
                                       Liam Rooney 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ALLEGATIONS BELOW ARE UNPROVEN AND ARE SIMPLY ALLEGATIONS

Original Message-----
From: asad ali
Sent: 06 June 2010 03:31
To: barrykeane; Murray Power
Subject: GCD v DCU

To,

Barry Keane and Murry Power,

This is Asad Ali captain of Griffith College Dublin (GCD). As you know that we won our last match against QUB and then we qualified for quarter final against DCU on Thursday 03-06-10. According to fixture, DCU are responsible for hosting this match. But the way DCU hosted the match is unacceptable. DCU decided day, time and ground and the captain of DCU just rang me two days before the match and force me to play this match. Anyways I said ok and we will play match on the date and time you want. According to rules we should play 50 over match but the captain of DCU told me that he only want to play 40 over match. But on Thursday morning he changed his decision again and then he and his team members told me that they only want to play 35 over match. I told him ok because he and his team member were forcing me.

DCU won the toss and decided to bowl first we made 181 runs in 35 overs but during the match one of my player got injured very badly so I call ambulance and send him hospital for treatment because he was blooding, the bowl hit on his had. During our batting there was no problem because we did umpiring very honestly. But when DCU started their batting there umpire took a lot wrong decision and when i told the umpire its not fair and please take fair decision then he said he know cricket very well and he was trying to start fighting and he ABUSE me and my college. At the very end when we were very close to win the match he started cheating in score book when I asked him show me the scoring book they said they need few runs in 5 overs .but actually there was only 3 more overs left. So we stop the match.

 But the big issues is that one of the player from DCU cricket team is not the DCU student when I told this to the captain  of DCU then they suddenly change this guy name in scoring book the outsider guy name was (SUNNY SHERAWAT). I have the prove. I am also sending you the scanning copy of the score sheet. you can see in scoring book the over right his name. They were hosting the match but they didn't organize any thing accept ground they didn't hire official umpires ,they didn't organize any coffee or tea.

I also want to inform you that I and my college very upset because one of the guy from DCU abuse GRIFFITH COLLEGE .

And as I mention above one of my player got injured during the match he is our best all-rounder last year he took 6 wickets against DCU. When he back in ground form the hospital then the DCU told me that he is not allowed to play the match but according  to the rules he can play but because of DCU fake decision he didn't bowl.

I  know that you already gave the fair decision in WIT v DBS match. And DBS is out now. I also hope you will also punish DCU .  

Any ways I already met Murry Power on Friday and told him every thing about the match. I am thank full for Murry he gave me time and listen the whole story.

After meeting Murry Power I went to BPP College and I found all information about the guy who is not from DCU .he is studying in BPP. His name is (sunny sherawat) and his date of birth is 02-aug-1986. you can also conform your self from BPP college. I can also give you college details.     

BPP house 5 Lad lane Dublin-2

Direct (01) 6110825

Tel (01) 6623395

 After over all I am looking forward for you fair decision.

THANKS

ASAD ALI

Captain GCD 

==================================================================================================

FW: GCD v DCU

Dear xxxx,

The Association has received the protest set out below about your match with GCD on Thursday.  Some of the allegations are very serious and the Officers are duty bound to investigate them thoroughly and impartially.  As the semi-finals are on Tuesday next I must accordingly ask you to respond to them in detail by 5 pm tomorrow, Monday 7 June so that we can decide whether DCU or GCD should proceed to the semi-final against WIT.

In particular, we need answers to the following questions:

(a)  Why was the name of your no 3 batsman apparently changed in the scorebook from 'Sunny' to 'Varun'?

(b)  What is the correct name of this player, as shown on his student ID card?

(c)  Is this player a current DCU student?  (If so, please forward a scan of his student ID card to enable us to verify from his photograph that he played in the match.)

(d)  Did you refuse to allow an injured GCD player to return to the field following his recovery?  (Law 2.4 states 'A player is allowed to bat, bowl or field even though a substitute has previously acted for him.')

(e)  Is it true that no independent umpires were present?  If not, why not?

(f)   Is it true that no refreshments were provided?  If not, why not?

(g)  Why was the match shortened from the 50 overs a side provided for in the competition regulations?

We would of course also be interested in your response to the other more general allegations.

We look forward to your response.  As I'm sure you realise, fielding a player who is not a current student would result in automatic elimination from the competition, so this allegation in particular must be answered to our complete satisfaction if DCU is to remain in this year's tournament.

Murray Power

on behalf of the Officers

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ALLEGATIONS ABOVE ARE UNPROVEN AND ARE SIMPLY ALLEGATIONS



Copyright: Cover Point