Riverside: Farcical scenes

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Teams

• Durham
• Yorkshire

Also see

• Riverside match off
• Regan admits responsibility
• ECB set to meet

Durham chief executive David Harker has called upon the ECB to throw Yorkshire out of the Twenty20 Cup after the quarter-final between the two teams had to be postponed.

The ECB ordered the match at the Riverside to be called off just minutes before the players were due to take to the field, due to the apparent ineligibilty of Yorkshire spinner Azeem Rafiq for the group match against Nottinghamshire in which the teenager played.

The governing body will meet on Thursday to discuss action to be taken, with Durham insisting they should advance to the finals day at the Rose Bowl on July 26.

"To be honest the only fair outcome now is that we go to the finals and if it's a result of Yorkshire being kicked out then so be it," said Harker, who believes any re-arranged game would hamper Durham's chances of success due to their busy fixture schedule.

"Any other solution which doesn't have Durham automatically proceeding to the finals day is going to further disadvantage us and that can't be right."

A crowd of around 6,000 had gathered at the Riverside but were left frustrated by the late cancellation of the match.

"They turned up in good faith and the game hasn't happened because of an administrative error. There's a lot of bad feeling out there," Harker added.

"The players are absolutely devastated as well. We were in a determined state of mind for a huge game."

Glamorgan keen for second chance

Glamorgan also have an interest in the outcome of the ECB's hearing as they finished third in the Mid/West/Wales division, but did not progress to the quarter-finals because the other two third-placed teams, Yorkshire and Kent, had more points.

If Yorkshire are thrown out of the competition, Glamorgan chairman Paul Russell hopes his county will be reinstated.

"There must be a slim chance that we will get back into the tournament," he said.

"If Yorkshire are thrown out then Glamorgan would seize the chance (to replace them) with all the energy we could muster."

Russell believes that although it was "a terrible shame" the match was postponed, the ECB made the right decision.

"It must have been an enormously hard decision," he added.

"But if the game had been played, the consequences could have been completely disastrous.

"I have a huge amount of sympathy with Durham who are an entirely innocent party in all of this.

"I don't think Yorkshire acted with any mendacity or ill purpose. I think it's a genuine oversight on their part."

Timeline

Meanwhile, Durham have revealed the timeline of events that led to the postponement of Monday night's match.

2.45pm - Durham informed that game cannot go ahead and are asked by ECB not to open gates to spectators. Durham ask ECB to reconsider.

3.30pm - No confirmation from ECB is received by Durham regarding its challenge and the club decides to open the gates for the safety and comfort of the spectators outside the ground.

3.30 - 4.30pm - A number of calls are exchanged between Durham and officials at ECB.

4.23pm - A draft press release, announcing the postponement of the game is issued by ECB to Durham, who challenge the release.

4.45pm - Durham are asked by ECB to consider playing an exhibition match.

5.00pm - It is agreed by both sides not to risk the players in an exhibition match in adverse weather conditions. The ECB then insist that the quarter-final could not go ahead and issued a press release to this effect. Durham then contacted the ECB match manager to request that an announcement be made over the PA system in inform spectators.