A former Australian Test bowler got ‘the benefit of the doubt’ after being investigated over a local cricket incident that decked a batter and left him unable to play on.
Ayre, 30, was playing for Coburg against the Beer-captained Malvern at Malvern City Oval on November 12.
Coburg asked for an investigation into physical contact between Beer and Ayre, who fell to the ground as he completed a run.
Ayre was dazed and unable to continue batting.
The former Victorian left-hander, in his second season with the Burgers, had cracked 64 off 40 balls, with 8 fours and 4 sixes.
Coburg won the match, reaching 5-240 in reply to 3-237.
Beer returned figures of 2-28 off nine overs.
VSDCA secretary Ken Hilton said an independent panel headed by former Prahran Cricket Club president Ian Crawford looked into the incident.
He said Beer was adamant he did nothing wrong and any contact was accidental.
There was no video footage of the incident and neither umpire saw what happened. There were no reports.
“The evidence was that Michael bowled the ball and Aaron swept it to backward square leg and came through for a single,’’ Hilton said.
“Both players said at the tribunal that they were following the path of the ball and that there was a collision at the bowler’s end.
“Neither umpire witnessed the collision. Both umpires stated they were also following the flight of the ball and took their eyes off the batsman and bowler.
“Michael was adamant he followed through in his normal run-through. He said he didn’t deviate or move off his line, and he was adamant there was no effort by him to make deliberate contact with Aaron. Based on that the investigations committee provided Michael with the benefit of the doubt and there was no further action taken.’’
Hilton said Ayre told the tribunal he swept the ball and ran on the off-side of the wicket.
“He felt he was perhaps a metre off the playing surface but he couldn’t be 100 per cent sure about it,’’ Hilton said. “He followed the flight of the ball and all of a sudden there was a collision.
“He said it was a heavy collision and he was quite dazed and had to be assisted from the field. He stated that when he hit the ground his helmet hit the ground first and it was quite a severe blow. He took several minutes to regain his composure.
“But at the end of the day there was no further action because it couldn’t be proven that Michael moved off his line.’’
Ayre’s batting partner, Aaron Shellie, and Malvern vice-president Michael McKenna, who was playing in the match, also gave evidence.
Both said they didn’t see the incident, Hilton said.
He said the VSDCA was satisfied with the investigations process.
Beer, 38, who played two Test matches for Australia, came out of Malvern and returned to the club in 2020-21 after retiring from Victorian Premier Cricket.
He was appointed captain this season.
A former Australian Test bowler got ‘the benefit of the doubt’ after being investigated over a local cricket incident that decked a batter and left him unable to play on.
Ayre, 30, was playing for Coburg against the Beer-captained Malvern at Malvern City Oval on November 12.
Coburg asked for an investigation into physical contact between Beer and Ayre, who fell to the ground as he completed a run.
Ayre was dazed and unable to continue batting.
The former Victorian left-hander, in his second season with the Burgers, had cracked 64 off 40 balls, with 8 fours and 4 sixes.
Coburg won the match, reaching 5-240 in reply to 3-237.
Beer returned figures of 2-28 off nine overs.
VSDCA secretary Ken Hilton said an independent panel headed by former Prahran Cricket Club president Ian Crawford looked into the incident.
He said Beer was adamant he did nothing wrong and any contact was accidental.
There was no video footage of the incident and neither umpire saw what happened. There were no reports.
“The evidence was that Michael bowled the ball and Aaron swept it to backward square leg and came through for a single,’’ Hilton said.
“Both players said at the tribunal that they were following the path of the ball and that there was a collision at the bowler’s end.
“Neither umpire witnessed the collision. Both umpires stated they were also following the flight of the ball and took their eyes off the batsman and bowler.
“Michael was adamant he followed through in his normal run-through. He said he didn’t deviate or move off his line, and he was adamant there was no effort by him to make deliberate contact with Aaron. Based on that the investigations committee provided Michael with the benefit of the doubt and there was no further action taken.’’
Hilton said Ayre told the tribunal he swept the ball and ran on the off-side of the wicket.
“He felt he was perhaps a metre off the playing surface but he couldn’t be 100 per cent sure about it,’’ Hilton said. “He followed the flight of the ball and all of a sudden there was a collision.
“He said it was a heavy collision and he was quite dazed and had to be assisted from the field. He stated that when he hit the ground his helmet hit the ground first and it was quite a severe blow. He took several minutes to regain his composure.
“But at the end of the day there was no further action because it couldn’t be proven that Michael moved off his line.’’
Ayre’s batting partner, Aaron Shellie, and Malvern vice-president Michael McKenna, who was playing in the match, also gave evidence.
Both said they didn’t see the incident, Hilton said.
He said the VSDCA was satisfied with the investigations process.
Beer, 38, who played two Test matches for Australia, came out of Malvern and returned to the club in 2020-21 after retiring from Victorian Premier Cricket.
He was appointed captain this season.
