A two-week dispute involving the board, the clubs and the Emu Valley Cricket Umpires Association had more twists and plot turns than an Agatha Christie novel, but in the end everything remained basically the same.

The board had signalled its intention to step down at a special meeting called for Monday night, but that didn't happen after the motion put forward by clubs was withdrawn.

The special meeting, which was chaired by solicitor John McPherson from Bendigo law firm Arnold Dallas McPherson, lasted less than 20 minutes.

"We were taken by surprise that the people putting forward the motion withdrew it,'' EVCA president Ron Gray said.

"No-one else wanted to move a motion in that sense, so that was the end of the meeting."

The dispute started over a $100 fine issued to the EVCUA by the EVCA board over the umpiring body not attending a league meeting.

The EVCUA called for the board to change the league's by-law that states the umpiring body can be fined.

The board stood its ground, the umpires stuck to their guns and, in the meantime, Spring Gully Cricket Club attempted to play peacemaker by paying the $100 fine.

The umpires refused the third party payment and the EVCA board withdrew the umpires' services for the matches played on November 27.

Players and volunteers officiated the matches on November 27 before EVCA players made a plea to both associations to sort out the dispute.

That started the ball rolling for some clubs to put forward a motion to the board that included the controversial league by-law that enables the board to fine the umpiring body should be quashed.

The special meeting was called by the EVCA board and the umpires agreed to return to officiate last Saturday's matches.

Gray stated last Thursday that the board intended to stand down at the special meeting because he felt they had lost the confidence of the clubs.

That all changed in the opening minutes of the special meeting.

"Everything that has transpired means everyone has calmed down and we can concentrate on cricket,'' Gray said.

"I have a feeling everybody is on the same page now."

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For now, the by-law that started the conflict remains in place and the EVCA board could impose fines on the EVCUA for indiscretions.

"It doesn't mean the umpires won't be fined again,'' Gray said.

"At the meeting we came to a handshake agreement with the umpires secretary (Alan Clements).

"We want them to umpire, but we can't change the rules in the middle of the year.

"The $100 fine still stood, but because that fine had been paid by a third party (Spring Gully CC) he (Clements) agreed to accept that payment.

"We'll work together going forward to find a resolution to the rules the umpires want changed.

"We're confident there won't be any more issues."

EVCUA president Tony O'Connell, who didn't attend the meeting, remained guarded about the board's ability to penalise the umpires.

"The wording of the by-law can't be changed until the annual general meeting,'' O'Connell said.

"I would like to think nothing will happen again like what happened previously.

"As a result of this we've already had one (division one) umpire resign because he's fed up with what's happened.

"We'll umpire tonight (Tuesday's, T20 matches) and, unless the rest of the umpires feel we've been hard done by, we'll umpire on Saturday."

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