Read receives suspended ban

Nottinghamshire's Chris Read has been given a suspended one-match ban by the ECB as a result of his boundary bust-up with Mushtaq Ahmed at Hove earlier in the month. If Read transgresses again before the end of the 2007 season, the ban will be implemented.

Read, who had already been given three penalty points for his part in the incident, will keep those on his record for two years. Under ECB disciplinary rules, any player who accumulates nine or more points in any two-year period automatically receives a ban.

"I reiterate the apology I made on the day of the incident," Read said after the hearing. "I would like to apologise again to all concerned for my actions. They were completely out of character and it won't happen again."

Mushtaq, meanwhile, said that "these sort of things can happen". He added: "People get angry when they are disappointed and I have every sympathy for Chris, who is a fine cricketer. We've shaken hands and as far as I'm concerned that is the end of it."