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Twenty20 chaos as quarter-final postponed

07/07/2008

The scheduled Twenty20 Cup quarter-final between Durham and Yorkshire was postponed after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) received allegations that Yorkshire had fielded an ineligible player in a crucial group match.

The cricketer at the centre of the storm is 17-year-old Azeem Rafiq, who made his debut for Yorkshire bowling two overs in the deciding group game versus Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on June 27th.

Despite previously captaining the England under-15s, Rafiq holds a Pakistani passport rather than a British one and Yorkshire are accused of failing to submit the relevant paperwork.

Rafiq is still registered as an Academy player, rather than as a full-time contract player, and as such had to sign forms binding him to ECB regulations. Yorkshire failed to submit these forms.

A statement from the ECB said: "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 26th."

The decision to abandon tonight's contest with less than an hour to go, and the stadium nearly full, has been met with widespread criticism.

Durham CCC chief executive David Harker described the decision as a "complete shambles". ECB chief executive David Collier insisted they had only discovered the full facts on Monday.

Durham will not receive a bye into the semi-final, but may seek financial compensation for loss of earnings from the postponement.