Scenario to mull over

For those of you who play club cricket, your thoughts on this.


Recently I was suspended from my team because of an accusation made against me while it was investigated, an accusation I knew to be completely false and that if true could have been easily proven. I was alleged to have bagged out a team mate in an inbox conversation on facebook.

Took three weeks for me to hear back. So I missed three games, but then the person who made complaint didnt wanna share their inbox convo with me with club, so i was cleared due to lack of evidence. The whole time the club captain is flat out lying to me suggesting it was an outside club complaint. It came from within the team.

I was told the team was going in a different direction (youth) and though i was cleared the captain and vice captain had no role for me, and yet they have roles for other people older than me -- it was clearly their way of backing the false complaint against me.

Through common sense and the stupidity of my so called friend who blocked me on facebook (I am assuming because she hoped it would delete our message history) I figured out who made complaint. Spoke to club and advised I would send them the proof I was innocent.

I was told that I wouldn't know the resulting actions (as I had no choice but to quit with no role being available for me).

What I do know, that player played on the weekend. Despite the club having plenty of time to read the evidence.

All I asked for was an apology from the captain and vice captain for turnign against me based on hearsay (as they were never shown proof as there was none to show). Haven't gotten that either.

Thinking about taking it further to the association, as I believe what was done to me (and the entire club knows I suffer from depression and anxiety, and to be fed lies and misinformation by my captain while not hearing from the committee for three weeks -- well yeah you can guess what that did to me) was beyond wrong, both the accusation and the way it was handled. Both groups of actions in my book worse than someone bagging someone out in a private conversation in facebook (not that I did this).

Would you take it further?

Edited to add:

I actually wish there was some legal recourse I could take.

Wow, that's terrible. I don't see why you shouldn't take it further, you didn't do anything wrong and yet are obviously being treated very unfairly. Is there anyone else on the team who you could ask to speak to the captain on your behalf? Whatever you decide to do good luck, hope it works out alright for you!

This is crazy! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can say what they want, it's just cricket!

I gather that the dobber didn't actually show proof and they were just going by hearsay.

It's clear that this club/team have something against you for nothing.

I'd suggest moving clubs if you're club is as bad as this, otherwise take this case as far as you need to to get your right to play back, as you did no wrong.

This is a extremely disappointing act and in my view the club is the only one at fault here. Maybe play for another team in the district?

I think definitely take the matter to the association @wolvesjr34 - particularly with the way the "bush telegraph" operates. I had lies told about me by a previous employer (can PM the details if you like, it ended up being a very messy situation) and you wouldn't believe the version of events that was passed on! In effect I was accused of knifing TWO colleagues (thankfully they both know the accusation to be false).

You deserve to have your name cleared and the matter resolved. At the very least your club should have been insisted on mediation between you and the teammate or in turn acted on a request from you to have mediation with the teammate and an independent party.

If - as your captain insists - the complaint came from outside the club, does this mean it was lodged by a member of another club within the association? If so, then again you are entitled to take the matter up with the association and your captain should encourage that, not discourage it.

Leadership - from top to bottom - is about finding the actual truth, not the version of it that suits an agenda.

It would appear that you have been denied 'natural justice' whuch is a basic right of any citizen accused of something.

I think you have to weigh up what is the best option for you personally. If you go to the Association does this heighten your anxiety etc and make things worse? Is it best as others suggested joining another club and just moving on,

Go and play for a club that will be playing against your former team.

I am sure you will rise to the occasion and show them what they have missed out on. I personally would not want to play for a club that has done that to you, or under a captain that does not support their team mates.

I remember years ago I was never given a go at my club and was told I was not up to the standard required. I went to a rival club and practised and practised. When i played my former club i took 6 wickets in an innings. They asked me to come back and play for them and I just laughed at them. karma has many ways of coming back to bite you in the backside!

Thanks for the feedbac guys, it helps in essense to know I am not crazy in thinking the way this has been handled is compelte rubbish. I think going to the association is the only way to lessen my anxiety as they may well be forced to actually defend their actions and false allegations and lies etcetera.