The Twenty20 quarter-final between Durham and Yorkshire has been postponed due to the ineligibility of a player.
Chester-le-Street quarter-final clash postponed at last minute
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."
