Tykes fail to earn Twenty20 lifeline

10:28pm Monday 14th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Yorkshire have failed in their bid to be readmitted into the Twenty20 Cup after tonight's appeal at Taunton.

The Tykes were unhappy with the initial decision to throw them out of the lucrative 20-over competition for fielding an ineligible player in their final North Division game against Nottingham-shire at Trent Bridge.

That player was 17-year-old off-spinner Azeem Rafiq, who failed to sign the necessary registration papers as well as not having a British passport.

The England and Wales Cricket Board last week awarded the fixture to Nottinghamshire, which meant they would go through to the last eight to play Durham.

But a six-man panel today decided to just dock Yorkshire two points, leaving the result of the match as an away victory.

That now means that Glamorgan will replace Nottinghamshire in the last eight of the competition as one of the two best third-placed finishers. The Welsh side qualify ahead of Yorkshire on net run rate.

An ECB statement accepted that “Yorkshire did not deliberately flout the registration regulations.”

It went on to say: “Given the serious breach of the regulations the panel find it appropriate to deduct the two points received by Yorkshire in the match against Nottinghamshire, though the result will stand.

“Yorkshire are also required to pay £2,000 in total towards the costs of both hearings.”

Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon said: “I am disappointed. I think it’s been a mess from start to finish.

“I guess we won our case that said the punishment was disproportionate to the error. The ECB could have shown special dispensation, only they know why they haven’t.”

Rafiq has been stopped from playing for North of England under-17s, while he will play for Yorkshire’s second team as an overseas player until he gets hold of a British passport on his 18th birthday on February 27.