ADCA 2023-24: Suspended Mt Barker veteran Alex Fergie set to miss rest of home-and-away season

Mt Barker veteran and opening batter Alex Fergie has been suspended after showing serious dissent towards an umpire during his side’s win over Railways on Saturday. Fergie will not play for the Bulls again in the regular season after the star all-rounder accepted a one-match ban offered by the Albany and Districts Cricket Association executive. The Bulls have a bye this week and play Collingwood Park in the final match of the ADCA A-grade season but will be without Fergie, who will be serving his ban. Fergie was facing a two-week suspension by the ADCA under rule 2.1 for showing serious dissent towards an umpire’s decision after being given out caught behind for 11 against the Tigers. However, the ban was downgraded to one week after he entered an early guilty plea. He is the second Bulls A-grade player to be suspended this year after captain Jeremy Wood accepted a one-match ban in round six. Park’s fiery English quick Sam Keeling-Wright was fined $100 for using offensive language after being dismissed during his team’s T20 grand final loss to the Bulls on February 16. Keeling-Wright’s teammate Andrew Hagnhofer and Tigers youngster Caleb Haua were each reprimanded with a caution after an altercation during their round 18 A-grade fixture. Hagnhofer allegedly made contact with Haua after he was dismissed but it was not seen by umpires. After investigation the ADCA was unable to verify if the contact was intentional or forceful and he was reprimanded under rule 2.2 for engaging in inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with other players during play. Haua also received a reprimand under rule 1.3 for using language that was obscene, offensive or insulting or the making of an obscene gesture. The ADCA confirmed after their investigation that abusive and aggressive language was used but could not confirm what was said. Bulls’ Luke Hammond and Royals’ Cameron Newbold were both charged with dissent offences in their round 16 B-grade clash on February 10. Hammond pleaded guilty after he was charged with a 2.1 offence that happened while wicketkeeping in the win over the Lions and copped a one-game ban. In the same game, Newbold pleaded guilty after being charged with a 2.1 offence following his LBW dismissal and copped a one-game ban. As the A-grade home-and-away season enters its final two rounds, each result is proving to be ladder-defining. Park will take on the Lions at Turf South on Saturday as both sides are desperate to pinch victories. A win for the Lions will close the gap on ladder-leading Bulls, while a Park triumph will put them in a position to leapfrog the Tigers into third place. With a bye coming next weekend, the Tigers must win against Manypeaks at Turf North if they are to hold on to the last finals-bound position.