Double booking costs KPFC important match
KPFC had to abandon its match as cricket players refused to leave the field
The SAB Castle League game between Kempton Park Football Club (KPFC) and Olympia at KPFC’s home ground could not go ahead on Sunday because of a double booking with Kempton Park Cricket Club.
According to Johan Fourie, senior club captain of Kempton Park Cricket Club, it was all due to a misunderstanding about the date.
KPFC chairperson Basil Botha had agreed with the cricket club that the cricketers would vacate the facility by 2pm. However, Fourie understood it was for Saturday and he made all the necessary arrangements so the soccer club could play, only to find out on Sunday the soccer game was to take place on Sunday.
By 2.30pm the referee had no choice but to abandon the soccer game, much to the embarrassment of KPFC.
The soccer match, which had been rescheduled by South African Football Association (Safa) due to a floodlight failure on the evening of March 2, was due to proceed at 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon.
When the soccer players arrived, the cricket match was still in progress. Fourie said they could not abandon the match as they would have lost their points.
He added that the City of Ekurhuleni, because of a lack of facilities, decided which sport should get preference during different seasons. At this stage cricket gets preference over soccer, Fourie added, saying it was also their last match of the season.
As the soccer match could not take place, KPFC inconvenienced its opponents, supporters and officials, as well as costing the club money in terms of officials’ fees, catering and transport for the players.
The SAB Castle League is an officially sanctioned competition run by Safa and KPFC is competing in it for the first time in its history.
