Village cricketer banned for a year after ‘headbutting’ umpire

A VILLAGE cricket match turned sour when the umpire was allegedly headbutted by a player over a failed wicket appeal.

Jason Ford, a bowler for Fawley Cricket Club, has been banned from the sport for one year after he allegedly knocked out one of the official’s teeth in the attack.

His side were playing against Hythe and Dibden in the Hampshire Cricket League when Ford was said to have become enraged by a rejected leg before wicket appeal.

He then headbutted the umpire, who was in his 40s, when calls for out were turned down.

Chris Tona, chairman of Fawley Cricket Club, confirmed that Ford was suspended after the incident, which occurred in the Saturday afternoon fixture on July 7.

A statement on the league website said Ford was banned for 17 matches from July 14, which leaves him lined for a full year.

Denis Emery, the league chairman, said: “He had never been in trouble before.

“If he had he would have received a lifetime ban and quite rightly so.”

The match, between Fawley’s third team and Hythe and Dibden’s fourth team in the Regional Division Two South West, was abandoned when police were called. side-

A Hythe player is believed to have been umpiring at the time. In a statement published on social media after the match, Mr Tona said: “The individual involved was immediately suspended by the committee pending a full disciplinary meeting. The club cannot comment any further while there is an ongoing police investigation.”

He added: “Fawley Cricket Club is committed to fair play and we are very disappointed this incident occurred.”

Police confirmed they are investigating, but said no arrests have been made.

The incident was the “the latest in a string of unsavoury incidents and threatening behaviour” in amateur cricket, according to a report in the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

It comes after a cricket bat was thrown at an umpire in the same league structure earlier this season.

The Hampshire Cricket League is the world’s largest cricket league with almost 3,500 village cricketers taking to the field every weekend in the summer.

However, it is reportedly under threat as more than 40 teams have left the league in the past two seasons due to a large drop in players.

‘ He had never been in trouble before. If he had he would have received a lifetime ban’