T20 match postponed due to ineligible player

A Twenty20 Cup quarter-final was postponed around an hour before its start on Monday when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) received claims that one of the teams had fielded an ineligible player in an earlier round.

Hundreds of fans had arrived at the Riverside ground expecting to see Durham entertain Yorkshire when the ECB revealed an earlier match between the visitors and Nottinghamshire on June 27 was under investigation.

Reports in the British media on Tuesday said 6,000 tickets had been sold for the match.

"Yorkshire fielded Azeem Rafiq who is alleged to be an unqualified cricketer," an ECB statement said.

"After investigation this morning (Monday) the board`s legal advisers confirmed that the player was not eligible to be registered as a qualified cricketer."

"ECB made it clear to both counties that ...the panel could order the replay of any match or matches which could affect any quarter-final."

Rafiq, a 17-year-old off-spinner, made his debut for Yorkshire in the match, taking 0-18 in two overs and he did not bat. The ECB said its disciplinary panel would meet on Thursday to discuss the issue, so any relevant matches could be played before Twenty20 finals day on July 26.