Ineligible player row tarnishes Twenty20 Cup
CHAOS and confusion engulfed the Twenty20 Cup last night when Yorkshire’s quarter-final at Durham was called off just before the start because of an ineligible player.
The ECB discovered that Yorkshire’s Azeem Rafiq, who had played in a group game, was not correctly registered.
With more than 6,000 tickets sold for the Riverside and thousands more expected through the turnstiles, the match was postponed pending an inquiry.
Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon said: “He was on our list of players but as an academy rather than full-time contract player. He needed to have signed a paper saying he agreed to the regulations of the ECB – but that has not been signed.”
And Moxon, above, added: “It would appear now his status within the country is in question.”
Rafiq, 17, an off-spinner who was born in Pakistan but grew up in Barnsley, played in Yorkshire’s last group match against Nottinghamshire.
It would appear now his status within the country is in question
His figures were two overs for 18 runs and Yorkshire won to clinch their place in the last eight at the expense of Notts. He was due to play again yesterday.
Embarrassingly for the ECB, Rafiq captained the England Under-15s, but is not even a British passport holder.