Valley slam league ruling

TENNIS:

TAME Valley Tennis Club’s second team won the Oldham Mixed League Division Three title without dropping a point.

But according to league officials they ‘lost’ a match to their closest rivals and runners-up, Saddleworth.

Team captain Martyn Torr has challenged league rule 2(c), which caused points to be deducted from the all-conquering squad.

In the week Tame Valley ‘B’ defeated Saddleworth, the club’s first-team game — four days later — was postponed due to a lack of players when the captain as on holiday.

“There were two last-minute cry-offs and finding late replacements for a Friday evening fixture isn’t easy,” explained Torr.

The league invoked Rule 2(c) which states: “Any team not fielding a full complement of players on a higher team must satisfy the management committee as to the reason, or be liable to the forfeiture of the lower team’s match to the opposing team.”

Martyn added: “We have written to the league explaining the position, but have yet to receive an acknowledgement, let alone a reply or explanation.

“The rule is not a mandatory sanction, the wording specifically says ‘be liable’ but the points have been taken away and I have yet to receive a reason or any communication from the league.”

Martyn feels the ruling is “grossly unfair” on his team, especially juniors Ed Crowther and Danny Newall, who dropped only one set all season.

“Basically the league is saying that if a lower team plays earlier in the week than a higher team, don’t play in case the higher team doesn’t. It’s nonsensical,’ said Torr.

“Our team did not include any players from the first team that night and hasn’t featured any first team players at all. We didn’t need them.”