The Junee Stallions were robbed on the weekend.
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Despite qualifying for the finals after squeezing into fourth spot, our local side did not get to bowl or face a single ball before being told their finals dreams were over.
The side’s Elders Cup elimination final with Wyangle in Gundagai was washed out after mother nature - ever the cruel mistress - struck at the worst possible time.
Competition rules dictate the higher placed team - Wyangle in this case - advance through to the next round in the event of a wash out.
According to organisers, the higher placed team is under no obligation to play elsewhere and despite numerous attempts by Stallions captain Trent Charlton to shift the fixture to the notably dryer Junee pitch, play did not go ahead.
Winning honours being awarded to the higher ranked side in the event of a washout is far from unique to our local competition, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.
If a competition chooses to go the way of English Premier League soccer and awards the trophy to the highest ranked team at the end of the regular season, that’s fair game.
But if a finals system has been established, it should be honoured.
It’s hard to blame Elders Cup organisers for following common cricket protocol in the first place.
But in light of recent events, to continue ignoring the radical notion that a sports league is better off when it actually plays its finals games is ridiculous.
Rarely will you come across another sport which sees teams qualify for finals only to be knocked out a week later without setting foot on the field.
Adding to the absurdity is the competition could be in the same situation next week, with only the grand final having the security of a make-up game played in the event of environmental abnormalities.
Highlighting the bizarre nature of the finals setup is that Wyangle could progress from elimination final to preliminary final, only to be knocked out, without actually playing a single finals game.
That’s quite the emotional roller-coaster to experience without playing any cricket.
Playing a make-up game the next day or the following week would not be the end of the world, but the current system is.
At least, that’s how Junee’s players feel after dripping blood, sweat and tears all season for a taste of finals glory.