A TCL rule has left Longford Cricket Club 'disappointed', with Stacey Norton-Smith unable to play Sunday's C-grade grand final.
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With rule 38.5 in the TCL bylaws stating that "no person shall play in more than one grand final in any season", the Tigers sought clarification on the rule and Norton-Smith's eligibility for the final but received word at 8pm Thursday that she couldn't play.
"We know that the men play T20s and the premier league, that's considered two different competitions, so we thought because the women's Boom is a T20 competition as well and she plays both, that she would be right to play," Longford club president Rob Moore said.
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"She's probably the best female cricketer in our comp and our coach and she's a great teacher to our people that haven't played much cricket, a lot of them have just started out.
"She's been great for us but also in that C-grade team, she deserves a spot in that side. She's played 10 games, she's played really well and we were just disappointed for her."
Longford's TCL Boom side progressed to the grand final last week with a tie against Bracknell, which saw Norton-Smith unable to play in the C-grade preliminary final as it was played at the same time.
Moore said the TCL communicated that the 19-year-old could choose between the two grand finals, but as coach of the women's side, it would be a no-brainer.
He hopes that the rule may be looked at and potentially altered in the future as there has already been several changes over the past few seasons.
"I reckon they probably looked at it and thought the girls might fill in for one or two games, they probably didn't expect someone - like Stacey has - to step up and demand a spot in that side," he said.
"I think definitely now, you can see she can match it with them and I think if that's written in, if it helps down the track - that would be a good result out of this."
TCL president Darrell Whyte said the club will have the opportunity to alter the rule at the end of the season.
"At the end of every season we email all the clubs if there's any rules they wish to change, put them forward and we will look at them and this rule hasn't ever been put forward," Whyte said.
"The female Boom is a competition within the TCL and the rule clearly states [what it does]."
Whyte said that the TCL committee's decision had the full support of the six other clubs that compete in the female Boom competition.