Following a Special Meeting of the Management Committee held on Monday May 25th 2010, the Committee has issued the following two adjudications, the first of these being addressed to a named individual player; the second to a specific Club.

Firstly, addressed to the individual player, registered with the Association as Nathan Thangaraj – and copied to the Club (Cults incorporating Artisans) for which he has previously appeared.

“Thank you for attending last night’s Management Committee investigation into the circumstances which led to Nathan Thangaraj appearing for 3rd Gordonians on Saturday May 15th, while still formally attached to Cults incorporating Artisans.

Having heard the evidence given, the Committee found that it was established that Nathan Thangaraj played for two teams in the same season without having been validly transferred, despite clear warnings given to him that he could not play for another club without such a transfer being completed.

The Committee reviewed the sanctions open to it under Rule 6 of the Association for breaches of competition Rules or other activities detrimental to the Association and determined that Nathan Thangaraj be suspended from eligibility to appear in all cricket under the auspices of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association (League and Knock-out cups) for the remainder of the 2010 season.  His registration with any club for 2011 will also be conditional on his settling all debts due to Cults incorporating Artisans CC.

The Committee finds it difficult to over-stress the serious view it takes of this matter.  Irrespective of the level of game involved, it feels it strikes at the very integrity of the competitive league structure; and something which has to therefore to be punished in terms which leave no-one in any doubt of the unacceptability of what has taken place.”

Secondly, addressed to Gordonians CC who fielded the player in a Grade 4 game played on May 15th 2010:

“Thank you for attending last night’s Management Committee investigation into the circumstances which led to Nathan Thangaraj appearing for 3rd Gordonians on Saturday May 15th, while still formally attached to Cults incorporating Artisans.

Having heard the evidence given, the Committee found that it was established that Nathan Thangaraj played for two teams in the same season without having been validly transferred, despite clear warnings given to him that he could not play for another club without such a transfer being completed.

The Committee also found that Gordonians fielded a player who had previously appeared for another club without taking sufficient, or indeed any apparent, steps to satisfy themselves that this was not the case, despite the warnings given to all Clubs on the Association Web site and at the captains’ meeting before the current season.

The Committee reviewed the sanctions open to it under Rule 6 of the Association for breaches of competition Rules or other activities detrimental to the Association and determined that 3rd Gordonians be deducted 15 league points from their total for the season. It should be noted that this is less than the maximum possible penalty, which could have been one or more of a 20-point deduction, a fine of up to £50 or suspension of the club from association competitions.”

The Committee has requested that notice of both these decisions be posted on the Association web site, to make clubs and players clearly aware what can be expected if any further irregularities of this nature come to its attention.

David M Jones
Association Secretary