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Cricket Shepparton hands Mooroopna player three-game ban

By Alex Mitchell

Apr 6, 2020

A Mooroopna C-grade cricketer has copped a three-match suspension for Facebook comments surrounding Cricket Shepparton's decision to cancel last month's grand finals.

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Mooroopna Blue's Josh Catalano was given a two-match ban for a level two offence under rule 43.2 from the association's handbook, with an additional match tacked on for not providing a written apology when requested.

Catalano's side finished fourth on the ladder, but won two finals to reach the decider, but was not able to take on Toolamba in the decider after the coronavirus pandemic brought the season to an early halt.

Cricket Shepparton's ruling across all grades was to award the premiership to the higher-ranked team after the home and away season — consistent with rule 37.2 (c) — although many in the cricket community questioned the fairness of that rule for sides that had already beaten their grand final opponent in the post-season.

Toolamba was awarded the Jim McGregor Shield, having finished third and above Mooroopna in fourth, while the same situation had Numurkah claim the Haisman Shield having finished first on the ladder, despite losing to eventual grand final opponent Nagambie in the first round of finals.

Catalano was charged with a level two (vi) offence via rule 43.2, table 4B that deals with "language that is obscene, offensive or of a generally insulting nature to another player,official or spectator including in social media''.

The rule continues to state "this offence is not intended to penalize trivial behavior. The extent to which such behavior is likely to give offence shall be taken into account when assessing the seriousness of the breach''.