Penalty runs imposed on Wairarapa College on the second day of their Bidwell Cup senior men's inter-club match with Academy at Rathkeale College last Saturday were not taken from their own first innings total.
Umpire Chris Cogdale clarified the situation today, saying that the 10 runs involved in the penalty decision
he made in concert with fellow umpire David Lee were actually added onto the Academy's first innings score, thereby taking it from 220 to 230.
It was a decision taken after Wairarapa College batsmen had been given several "friendly" warnings for running on the pitch, followed by two official cautions.
"When it happened again we didn't really have any other alternative but to impose two five-run penalties, that's the way the rules are," Cogdale said.
Information received by the Times-Age suggested the 10 runs were in fact taken from the Wairarapa College first innings total, a situation which would have stopped them from obtaining a first innings lead if that was the case.
However, Cogdale, who has been umpiring for 11 years and has been a member of the Central Districts umpiring panel, said the rules dictated that the runs be added onto the Academy first innings which meant they ended up with a total of 230 compared to Wairarapa College's 213.
"Batsmen had been given several "friendly" warnings for running on the pitch, followed by two official cautions."
In reality, of course, Wairarapa College actually lost 13 runs because of their misdemeanour as the three runs they scored during the "official warning" process were taken from them as well.
The penalty imposed on Wairarapa College was not the only talking point to come out of what was a somewhat ill-tempered second day's play of their match with Academy.
Cogdale also confirmed that Academy wicketkeeper Dan Stevenson, a member of the current Wairarapa senior representative squad, was cited by himself for unsavoury behaviour and will appear before the Wairarapa Cricket Association's judiciary as a result.
