An emerging Warrnambool and District Cricket Association division one player has been handed a four-match ban for serious umpire dissent at the tribunal on Monday night.
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Wesley Yambuk's Zavier Mungean will miss matches against Russells Creek, Brierly-Christ Church, Merrivale and Mortlake after the independent tribunal determined his actions were on the severe end.
The WDCA match committee initially offered Mungean a three-week suspension for umpire dissent and throwing his bat after an incident in a Twenty20 match against North Warrnambool Eels on December 17 where he was run-out.
Upon determining the initial penalty, the WDCA match committee took into consideration a similar incident in November 2021, where Mungean was issued with an official warning.
Reporting WDCA umpire Marcus Johnstone said Mungean was given run-out and "swore towards me" upon the decision before walking off the ground and throwing his bat once off the field.
He acknowledged the on-field decision was incorrect and Mungean should have been given not-out.
Mungean pleaded guilty to the dissent charge but not guilty to the charge of throwing his bat after being given out.
Wesley Yambuk president Bryce Eagleson, representing Mungean as his advocate on the night, said they were not contesting the dissent charge and the club "didn't stand for it" but disputed events of the bat throw and wanted the one-game ban on offer for the action to be thrown out.
Eagleson said Mungean simply did what he does every match when he's out - drop his bat and helmet once off the field and go into the change room before coming back out and retrieving his equipment.
"He's never been reprimanded for this before, that's why he's contesting this bat throw," he said.
"We understand there was an incident and everything is heightened, but we don't think there was anything out of the ordinary."
Johnstone said he saw Mungean throw the bat in the air "once off the field" after being alerted to it by another player.
He did, however, acknowledge the action wasn't aggressive but still in the "rules to not throw equipment".
When asked by Eagleson how he could see Mungean throw the bat after already being told by it, claiming it was already in "past tense", Johnstone said "I was told, turned around and saw the bat going through the air."
Eagleson said Mungean was a strong supporter and advocate for the association and cricket club, particularly with his work as under 15 country week squad which celebrated its title win this week.
"He does a lot of good things for the competition," he said.
"These instances are frowned upon, we weren't happy with him for it but we regard him as a future leader of the club. The coach of the under 15 country week is a testament to that."
His contribution to the association, particularly as junior country week coach, was also acknowledged by Terry O'Keefe who was representing the WDCA match committee.
After a short deliberation, the tribunal ultimately threw out the bat throwing charge, "citing insufficient evidence" of the umpire physically seeing the bat thrown.
But they decided to offer a four-game ban, due to the serious nature of the dissent towards the umpire, an increase of one match on the initial charge.
Mungean said he was remorseful for his language towards the umpire and acknowledged his actions.
"I accept full responsibility, it was in the heat of the moment and I was filled with adrenaline and said something I shouldn't have. I offer a full apology to the umpire," he said.
"What I said on the ground, I'm sorry and take responsibility for my actions".
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