ECB Management Board decision - Worcs v Gloucs, NatWest Round 3 match

At a meeting of the ECB Management Board on Thursday 29 June 2000 it was concluded that Worcestershire had inadvertently fielded an ineligible player, Kabir Ali, in the above match.

Kabir Ali played for the Worcestershire Cricket Board in Round 1 of the NatWest Trophy on 2 May 2000, having already made three appearances for Worcestershire CCC in the early season Benson and Hedges Cup matches. As a result of these first team appearances, Kabir Ali was 'cup-tied' for this year's NatWest Trophy (see below for NatWest Rule 6 in full).

In reaching its decision, The Management Board took into account the detailed testimony submitted by Worcestershire. Having considered all the facts surrounding the case, The Management Board decided, as a consequence of the breach of regulation, that the Worcestershire v Gloucestershire Round 3 match should be replayed on Tuesday 4 July at New Road, Worcester, the day before NatWest Trophy Round 4 when the winners of the replayed match will play Leicestershire at Grace Road, Leicester.

There will be no reserve day for the replayed match and the game will be played according to the current NatWest Trophy regulations, but as if the first day of the game had been washed out. Worcestershire and Gloucestershire will be able to select new sides from within their eligible players.

The Management Board wishes to make it clear that there is every likelihood that, in future, any team breaching the regulations in similar circumstances will be disqualified from the competition.

NatWest Trophy Rule 6 - Exception to Cup-Tieing of Players

Players registered and contracted with First Class Counties will not be cup-tied as a result of having played for a County Board or Minor County in the NatWest Trophy once that side had been knocked out of the Competition if they meet the following criteria:-

For further information, please contact Mark Hodgson in Corporate Affairs: Tel: 020 7432 1251. Fax: 020 7289 5619.