Yorkshire’s costly cup blunder

Jul 10 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

IT is possible that in selecting Azeem Rafiq, Yorkshire have made the costliest mistake in cricket history.

The former England under-15 captain was unregistered and also technically an overseas player when picked for a group match in the Twenty20 Cup, which could see Yorkshire thrown out of the competition.

Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire have the best claims to replace Yorkshire, while Durham want to go straight through to finals day – and the chance to qualify for the Champions League’s £2.5m prize fund. This prize has changed Twenty20 from a game described as “hit-and-giggle” to the most valuable domestic cricket competition, which is why the four counties will not blithely accept the decision from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Whatever its decision three counties will be left disappointed, aggrieved and considering their options,

Twenty20 cricket has succeeding in bringing big-hitters together in search of large sums of money and this week it has achieved it again.

But the fall-out from the late postponement of Durham’s match against Yorkshire will benefit the eagles (legal, not Essex) as counties hope to keep their eyes on the £1m jackpot.