Hastings cricket club captain Tim Birch has been suspended for three years after being found guilty of dissent.
Birch was found guilty of dissent during Hastings' semifinal loss to Rosebud on the weekend and then was also given an extra one year ban for “showing disrespect to the tribunal and the process and thereby bringing the game into disrepute’’ after storming out of the tribunal hearing.
He was reported on Sunday after he went onto the field and questioned the umpire's decision during his side's innings and was involved in a heated debate with the adjudicating umpire.
Birch said he was shocked with the decision and felt he had been treated unfairly.
“I’m absolutely gutted,’’ the 39-year-old told the Frankston Standard Leader.
“How do I get out of this? I’m gone. I’ve just been retired out of cricket.’
“He just wouldn’t listen to me.
“I said, ‘come off the ground and show me the rules’. He just wouldn’t.’’
Hastings cricket club in Victoria was also fined due to the incident.
