WARRNAMBOOL Cricket Umpires Association (wcua) members have terminated Warrnambool and District Cricket Association (wdca) chairman Nick Frampton’s membership of their body.
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WCUA president Charlie Rivett said the WDCA’s push to run umpiring from next season — leaving his group in limbo — had left members irate at a meeting on Tuesday.
He said the WCUA would send letters to all WDCA clubs highlighting its stand.
“The WCUA has been going for 75 years as an independent body and we wish to stay that way,” Rivett said.
“Chairman Nick Frampton has not complied with our memorandum of understanding regarding the termination of our existence as an independent umpiring body.
“The umpires’ selections panel has specifically complied with what the WDCA bylaws wanted. A member moved that Nick Frampton’s membership be terminated and all members seconded that motion.”
Rivett said the WCUA would now wait for club responses before holding another meeting to discuss the matter.
“A few of the clubs have said that we should be independent,” he said.
“It’s important for the clubs to know what we’re actually doing. The clubs actually run it.”
Under the WDCA’s proposal, it would take control of the umpire recruitment, development and match appointments from next season.
It would appoint a new umpiring manager — a $4000-a-year position — to implement the program.
Frampton, who was awaiting correspondence from the WCUA yesterday afternoon, said the WDCA had taken a proactive stance towards umpiring.
He stressed it was not an “us-versus-them battle”.
“At the end of the day we are responsible for cricket in the region,” Frampton said.
“There was an issue and we need to fix it.
“It is a win/win for everyone. We are offering better training and want to get all umpires accredited.”