Yorkshire Lodge Appeal Against Twenty20 Expulsion

Yorkshire have confirmed they are to appeal the ECB's decision to remove them from the Twenty20 Cup. The Tykes were last night evicted from the competition after fielding Azeem Rafiq, a 17-year-old leg-spinner from Pakistan who was not correctly registered and does not hold a British passport, in their group match at Nottinghamshire on June 27.

The ECB had given Yorkshire 24 hours to decide whether they wish to appeal, saying that any hearing would be heard on Monday. However, Yorkshire are requesting that the appeal be put back to give them sufficient time to prepare their case.

Nottinghamshire were last night reinstated in the competition in Yorkshire's place and were set to face Durham in a rearranged quarter-final, but that now depends on the outcome of next week's hearing. Durham are certain to be furious about the latest development, having argued that they should be given a bye to the semi-finals after Monday's scheduled quarter-final with Yorkshire was called off at the last minute.

Yorkshire's chairman, Colin Graves, last night expressed his disappointment at the ECB's decision, suggesting an appeal would be lodged. "We're totally and utterly disappointed," Graves said. "There are two sides to every story. We put in a very good presentation."

Yorkshire are understood to have cited the precedent of a NatWest Trophy tie between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in 2001, which was replayed after Worcestershire fielded Kabir Ali when he was ineligible.