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An independent commissioner has banned two young Hawke’s Bay cricketers for the remainder of this season.
New Zealand Cricket has backed a 10-week ban on two Hawke’s Bay school-age cricketers for “racist and homophobic” abuse of an opposition team.
The Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association (HBCA) confirmed the suspension of two players from the Napier Technical Old Boys club for the remainder of this season following a code of conduct hearing on inappropriate behavior on the field.
It took place during an 11-13 year tournament, and a match against the Auckland Western Districts club at Cornwall Park in Hastings on January 21.
Independent Commissioner John Greenwood concluded that racist and homophobic abuses had occurred and that the violations warranted severe penalties.
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He suspended both players until the end of the 2020-21 season, effectively a 10-week suspension, including the three-week suspension already served.
HBCA did not name the players, but Stuff understands that the couple are the children of former central district players Craig Findlay and Mike Pawson. Findlay is also the CEO of HBCA.
In a statement, NZ Cricket public affairs manager Richard Boock said: “NZC is satisfied with the integrity of both the process and the outcome of the Hawke’s Bay code of conduct hearing.
“We support the commissioner’s conclusions and agree that the type of crime described requires a serious response.”
HBCA President James Rainger said in a statement that the findings were those of an independent commissioner set up to hear a complaint from the Auckland club.
“This is the process established in our rules when we receive a complaint. The board is comfortable with the decision and considers it consistent with the response to the type of behavior that was found to have occurred. “
Rainger said: “Racist and homophobic abuse is incompatible with the values and culture of Hawke’s Bay Cricket.”
The complaint was made after a Twenty20 game between Napier Tech and Western Districts. All the players on both teams were young or middle ages.
The western districts XI contained players of heritage from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.
The game was abandoned with a ball to play in the first inning after an umpire ruled that a player racially abused an opposition batter.
Findlay initially described the incident as a “misunderstanding” for Hawke’s Bay Today.
Stuff understands that concerns raised in the commissioner’s report will be addressed internally by HBCA.
It is the second incident of alleged racial abuse in cricket in New Zealand in recent weeks.
A player from Wellington’s Naenae Old Boys club was suspended for the remainder of this season, a nine-week suspension.
An investigation, led by Colin Carruthers QC, found that he had violated Wellington Cricket Club bylaws after he allegedly called a Victoria University batsman a “n …..” a two-day game on January 30th.
