Yorkshire off-spinner Azeem Rafiq has been handed a month-long suspension by the ECB for his infamous Twitter rant at England Under-19s' boss John Abrahams.

Rafiq was dropped from the second Test against Sri Lanka at Scarborough last week after breaking a team curfew - an issue which is believed to have been raised with the 19-year-old in the past.

The teenager from Barnsley reacted by posting the following on the social network site: “What a ******* farsee (sic) ... John Abrahams is a useless ****... ECB prove it again what incompetent people are working for them!! John Abrahams is a useless ******.”

Rafiq pleaded guilty to two charges today, apologising for his actions to a three-man panel at Lord’s.

The charges were that there had been a breach of ECB directives by a personal attack in a public statement about Abrahams, and also by bringing the game into disrepute by that public statement.

An ECB statement read: “The panel considered this to be a serious breach of the regulations, particularly given Rafiq’s position as captain of the England Under-19 side.”

Rafiq has been suspended until August 26, the period being backdated from July 26.

He has also been ordered to pay £500 towards the cost of the hearing.

Rafiq has only played two LV= County Championship matches and ten Friends Provident Twenty20 matches this season.

As things stand, Rafiq would be available to return to first-team duties in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road on August 31.

But it is a possibility that Yorkshire could add to that suspension.

The White Rose county refused to comment today but will make a statement tomorrow.