Match off at the Riverside

Chester-le-Street quarter-final clash postponed at last minute

By Joe Drabble   Last updated: 7th July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Match off at the Riverside

Quarter-final clash postponed at The Riverside

After investigation this morning the board's legal advisers confirmed that the player (Azeem Rafiq) was not eligible to be registered as a qualified cricketer.

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The Twenty20 quarter-final between Durham and Yorkshire has been postponed by the England and Wales Cricket Board after irregularities surrounding the registration of a player.

With spectators still coming into the Riverside eagerly anticipating an appetising last eight clash it was suddenly announced the game could not go ahead.

The reason for the postponement is because Yorkshire included 17-year-old Azeem Rafiq in their line-up for the crucial North Division match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on June 27.

It turns out the former England Under 15 captain, who bowled two overs in the match for 18 runs, was not eligible to play first class cricket.

There is now the prospect of the Nottinghamshire-Yorkshire match being replayed after the issue is investigated further.

Unqualified

A statement from the ECB said: "The Twenty20 Cup quarter-final between Durham and Yorkshire was postponed after the England and Wales Cricket Board today received allegations that Yorkshire had fielded an ineligible player in a crucial Twenty20 group match.

"In a Twenty20 group match on June 27 at Trent Bridge between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire fielded Azeem Rafiq, who is alleged to be an unqualified cricketer.

"The match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire decided which team qualified for the Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals.

"As soon as the allegations were received by the ECB it was agreed to convene a panel of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission.

"After investigation this morning the board's legal advisers confirmed that the player was not eligible to be registered as a qualified cricketer.

"ECB made it clear to both counties that in view of the alleged ineligibility of Azeem Rafiq, it was possible the panel could order the replay of any match or matches which could affect any quarter-final.

"The ECB are convening a meeting of the panel as a matter of urgency so that any relevant matches will be played before Twenty20 finals day at Southampton on July 26."

Moxon anguish

Yorkshire's director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon, who had been busy preparing the side for the match when the news filtered through, admitted it had all come as a surprise.

"It was a bit of a shock," he told Sky Sports. "We thought we had done everything right and Azeem was registered.

"Going into that game (against Nottinghamshire), we wouldn't have played it if he was not registered."

Moxon said there was a process involving a number of different forms which seemingly had not been completed, and that had led to further investigation which had brought to light an issue with Rafiq's eligibility.

"It is a very complicated set of rules and regulations. He (Rafiq) was on our list of players but as an academy player rather than a full-time contract player," Moxon said.

"He needed to have signed a paper saying he agreed to the regulations of the ECB but that piece of paper has been failed to be signed.

"Since then it would appear his status within the country appears to be in question.

"He has a permit allowing him to remain and work in this country indefinitely but his status in the first team brings him under ICC regulations and under those he does not have the relevant qualifications."

Comments (16)

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Baz Howes says...

The blame lies at Yorkshires feet for being so inept in the first place. To read Yorkshires statement, they seem to feel they have been wronged, if they knew the rules and regs like every county has to, we wouldn`t have this mess. Disgraceful. The ECB told Durham at about 15:00 not to play the game, why were we left sitting in the rain until 17:20 ? Once again Joe Public are the last thing on anyones minds. Will we be reimbursed in any way, I doubt it. YCCC, you should be ashamed.

Posted 01:40 8th July 2008

Andrew Graham says...

What a nonsense. Whilst the ECB try to sort out this mess, it seems probable that Notts and maybe even Glamorgan have a life line in this competition. Am I the only person who can see what will eventually happen? The 2008 T20 winner will probably end up being a team who didn't even qualify for the quarter finals, other than on a technicality. You couldn't make it up!

Posted 23:08 7th July 2008

Mase Zilla says...

I find it ridiculous that at this level of Cricket an error of this magnitude can be made and discovered so late! I hope that no fans travelled too far, arriving at the game to find out it has been postponed! It's hard enough to get a game of cricket on in this country (with the weather!) as it is, without problems like this occuring!

Posted 21:46 7th July 2008

Joe Stephenson says...

I don't really understand what constitutes an ineligible player in cricket, but it seems a bit strange that Notts can field Chris Cairns, Adam Voges and Andre Adams, not people that are going to play for England and therefore, surely, 'overseas' players. Yet Yorkshire are in trouble for playing a promising 17 year old who, one day, might. That said, rules are rules and you must abide by them.

Posted 21:33 7th July 2008

James Tennant says...

This is an interesting issue. Shoukd it have happened - of course not. It doesnt look good for cricket and i am sure it will have a negative effect when the game is replayed. There's not alot either side could of done differently, quite simply it wasn't that fault. I cant stop just asking myself 'Couldn't this game just of gone ahead'? All the crowd were in place and everything...

Posted 21:32 7th July 2008

Duncan Tulloch says...

Difficult situation that the ECB had no choice as to the action they took. I feel sorry for the fans that traveled a long way hoping to see their team win and progress through to the finals day at the Rose Bowl on 26th July.

Posted 21:21 7th July 2008

Katherine Field says...

I was checking the telephone info line and web site for prospects of play with Durham CCC all day today. Until 4 p.m. it stated play unlikely and then it stated the match would probably go ahead. We fought through 1 hour rush hour traffic to get there for this match to be postponed when obviously in doubt all day but not for the weather, again the ECB no regard for the fans and Durham played along a very unhappy member of the club!

Posted 20:55 7th July 2008

Barney Orr says...

I believe that Durham should be granted a through path to the finals day at the Rose Bowl. Lets be honest, Yorkshire have handled a minor problem poorly and they have (and still should) suffer the punishments thrown at them. At the end of the day I no what county I would want to be supporting!

Posted 20:35 7th July 2008

Alan Smeaton says...

What depresses me so much about this is the utter contempt that it shows towards paying spectators. We are trying to attract new spectators to the game and we treat them like this. The Notts game took place ten days ago and it took until the day of theis match to reveal the problem. How difficult can it be to confirm that someone selected was eligible to play? All involved, especially the ECB, should be ashamed.

Posted 20:26 7th July 2008

Edward Sproul says...

What a fiasco!!! I left work early arrived at the Riverside at 4.45 pm was waved in by stewards paid to park my car got in the ground at 5.00 there was lots and lots of people milling around presumably waiting for covers to come off after heavy shower but no one knew about the game being called off .This chap I was talking to got a text from his wife saying the game was off. There is a fault on the side of the ECB who have known for several days about this player and the officials at Durham who knew apparently at 3.pm that the game was off and didn't tell anyone until 5.25pm i't's a complete laughing stock and public relations fiasco for the ECB and DCC

Posted 20:21 7th July 2008

Glen P. says...

What a Shambles!. Ive just returned with 3 friends from a wasted trip to the Riverside for this encounter. People had been admitted to the ground as late as 4.30pm before the announcement of the abandonment was made. How can the ECB leave it so late before announcing the abandonment of the game. People will have travelled from Yorkshire for the game aswell. Inconveniencing supporters is irrelevant to The ECB. Why is the game being replayed? Yorkshire should be penalised for feilding ineligable palyers. Notts and Durham are the clubs to suffer for Yorkshire and the ECBs incompetance.

Posted 20:20 7th July 2008

Ivan Bell says...

It dosn't matter what the unregistered player did during the match in question. Yorkshire are a professional club and can have no excuses. Ignoance is no defence, they should be banished from the competion points given to Nottinghamshire which would mean that they plqay Durham in the quarter final's. At the same time Yorkshire should employ someone who understands the rules and regulations of Cricket.

Posted 19:55 7th July 2008

Michael Brown says...

Two points: Why did it take so long to postpone the game when Mr C. says he became aware of the problem this morning (when exactly was that) ? If one looks at the fixture lists of Durham, Yorks and Notts between the proposed meeting of ECB on Thursday and Finals day and also takes into account necessary travelling time between arranged matches there is difficuty in spotting a spare convenient date. Particularly when there should be a reserve day - for Durhams benefit. Perhaps a CC game or Pro40 game will have to be cancelled. a

Posted 18:59 7th July 2008

Matthew Beer says...

How can some sky pundits say Yorkshire should be thrown out or the match against notts be replayed,the player in question Rafiq bowled 2 overs for 16 runs which is an average of 8 per over more than notts averaged in the all 20 overs. He didn't take a wicket, didn't bat and didn't take a catch. He had no bearing in the result of the game, and as for the comments about punishments handed out to football teams does Mr Tevez ring any bells. West Ham were only fined for playing him ALL SEASON! Yorkshire did wrong and the club should be fined.

Posted 18:25 7th July 2008

Philip Hellawell says...

Please remeber:- 1) Against Notts, Yorkshire had no overseas player in the squad, in fact they have had no overseas player complete a match all season 2) This season Yorkshire have played 9 not English but Yorkshire-born players in virtually every match. When they haven't the exception has been Michael Vaughan 3) The other 2 players making up the team have both been South Africans - Jacques Rudolph - a Kolpack player and Gerard Brophy who has a British passport.

Posted 18:18 7th July 2008

Rob Bernard says...

Terrible news for Yorkshire. Why haven't the ECB flagged up this problem long ago when Rafiq was registered? My mood is not tempered by your incredibly biased experts. The Lancashire mafia were hardly going to stick up for Yorkshire and it was the same at Saturday's semi final against Essex at Chelmsford when all that was missing was the popping of champagne corks after Yorkshire were defeated.

Posted 18:07 7th July 2008
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