A long-running dispute between Cricket Illawarra and Cricket NSW community managers is heading towards a showdown after yet another clash this week.
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The conflict stretches back to Cricket NSW's decision two years ago to increase their investment in regional staff in a bid to boost player numbers and assist local associations largely run by volunteers.
While some regions, such as Shoalhaven welcomed a hands-on approach, Cricket Illawarra viewed the increased presence with suspicion.
Senior administrators made note of the challenges in working with the community managers in both Cricket Illawarra and the Greater Illawarra Zone's 2018-19 annual reports. The 2019-20 reports have not yet been published.
Cricket Illawarra administrator Glenn Bridge said the point of contention has been the exact role of the community managers.
"Following the community cricket uplift two years ago, the point of argument is their job description," Bridge said. "Some areas duplicate my role at Cricket Illawarra.
"I've told them their job is not to interfere with my job at Cricket Illawarra."
The biggest frustration between the two parties has been the lack of adequate communication.
That has led to a number of issues, including a dispute over the operation of food stalls at last summer's Women's Big Bash League clash at North Dalton Park.
The community managers' desire to work directly with the clubs in their efforts to increase junior player numbers has also caused friction.
More recently, tensions flared over negotiations with council and other sporting codes around the shared use of sports grounds in the coming months.
Both Cricket Illawarra and the community managers felt they should represent the sport in the discussions.
Cricket NSW area manager Martin Gleeson acknowledged there have been some challenges in their attempts to work with the association.
"There's been some discussions around where responsibilities start and stop," Gleeson said.
"The association's key role is to run the competition, we're working much more closely with the clubs as part of our role."
The conflict came to a head on Thursday morning, with a series of emails sent to the Illawarra clubs.
The first, from Gleeson, refuted many of Bridge's claims and reiterated the community managers' desire to work directly with the clubs.
Bridge responded, highlighting past clashes and outlining his desire for the community managers to focus purely on school cricket.
Given the drawn out process, a number of senior officials within Cricket Illawarra and the Greater Illawarra Zone are eager for the conflict to be resolved.
Cricket NSW have stood by their community managers, with Gleeson praising the work of his Illawarra-based staff.
Such has been the discord between the parties, Bridge and Greater Illawarra chairman Ian Hogg attended a meeting last month with senior Cricket NSW officials, including chief executive Lee Germon.
While the governing body has a small degree of scope to remove Bridge from his role at GIZ, his position at Cricket Illawarra, which has been operating without a president for the past two years, is determined by the clubs.
The Mercury understands there is little appetite from the clubs to replace Bridge.
Germon also confirmed there is currently no desire from head office to remove Bridge from his roles.
"The Cricket Illawarra management committee is put in place by the clubs," Germon said. "We've got no inkling at all that we want to come in.
"Our intention is not to supersede or run any organisation, we want to support Cricket Illawarra with what we're all trying to achieve in growing the sport."
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