Clouds gather over the Pollards

OLDHAM Cricket Club: a month to pay its fine

Oldham in race against time to pay fine
CASH-STRAPPED Oldham Cricket Club have 28 days to pay half of a £500 fine imposed by the Lake Garage CLL or face possible expulsion from the league.

The fine relates to the cancellation of a second XI fixture in May when the Pollards, at the behest of the Oldham Sports and Community Club — the umbrella organisation which covers the cricket section — hosted a fun fair.

The CLL’s Management Committee decided that the action had “prejudiced the good name” of the league.

A CLL appeals committee, which convened at Middleton on Wednesday night, upheld the decision to impose the £500 penalty, leaving Oldham cricket stalwart Mel Whittle fuming.

He immediately gave notice of his intention to resign from the league’s Management and Ground committees.

“I am not having anything more to do with the CLL,” he said.

“The league gave us permission to forfeit the fixture, so to then fine us this amount is scandalous.

“We were powerless to prevent the Sports and Community Club event from taking place and the league accepted that.

“They said they had some sympathy, but that they could not fine them so it had to be Oldham CC.

“Oldham CC will have to pay the fine, but where we are going to get the money from I don’t know.”

Unless Oldham fork out £250 within 28 days, the matter will go back to the CLL’s Management Committee, who have a range of powers open to them.

Oldham fear they could even be kicked out of the league if they are unable to pay.

Oldham’s proposal to stage the second XI game against Ashton at Glodwick CC was turned down by the CLL, who suggested alternative dates for the game.

These were rejected by Oldham as there were third XI fixtures on those dates and the club claimed they were unable to field enough players for both teams.

The CLL agreed with Oldham’s proposal to award Ashton the points, leaving Whittle to believe the issue was over.

He said: “I was presented with the problem and offered the league a solution. I assumed that was the end of the matter, but it clearly wasn’t.”

The CLL issued a statement following Wednesday’s meeting.

It read: “Whilst the appeals committee had some sympathy with the Oldham Cricket Club it believed that the standards and integrity of the league must be upheld.

“The appeal is therefore dismissed and the deposit (£25) is therefore forfeited.”

CLL secretary Alan Wright said the penalty, while a hefty one by league standards, was not without precedent.

Rochdale had been fined the same amount several years ago for an offence relating to a professional, he said.