Mushtaq Ahmed and Chris Read were involved in a confrontation off the field at Hove during the current Championship clash between Sussex and Nottinghamshire.

The incident happened after Read was trapped lbw by Mushtaq for a duck, and he appeared to be angry at a string of appeals. Mushtaq had four lbws on his way to 6 for 72

Read returned the pavilion but then reappeared on the boundary edge where Mushtaq was fielding and the two exchanged angry words. Chris Adams, the Sussex captain, left the field to speak to Read.

At the close of play the umpires, Rob Bailey and Graham Burgess, met with the two players and their captains, following which Read issued a brief apology. "I wish to apologise for my involvement in the incident with Mushtaq Ahmed earlier today," he said. "It was totally out of character and will not happen again."

The ECB could take action depending on the report from the umpires.

Read, whose disappointment at getting out was increased by the fact that he was being watched by England selectors David Graveney and Geoff Miller, was out of order, but some eyewitnesses did endorse his view that Mushtaq's appealing was excessive. "Although there were too many appeals that were fatuous," observed the Daily Telegraph, "his bowling enlivened a slow day."