CLAYTON WEST will appeal against a Drakes Cricket League ruling which not only robbed them of a victory but threw the title race into confusion.

After losing to Clayton West, Skelmanthorpe protested that all-rounder Mohammed Azam was perhaps not a legally-registered player.

After League investigations and a failure by the club to produce a passport for the player, the League Executive decided to penalise Clayton for playing an ineligible player and awarded Skelmanthorpe all six points.

The consequence of that decision was that leaders Scholes, who beat Skelmanthorpe on Saturday, actually needed a point at Shepley on Sunday to seal their first title since 2001 (something they achieved).

Relegated Clayton have been forced to forfeit any points accrued when Azam has played (eight previous matches) although the League have yet to make a decision on their rained-off matches against Shepley and Delph & Dobcross.

Clayton West are now planning an appeal against the League’s decision, believing they signed him in good faith as an EU player according to the rule which states ‘the player must have been permanently resident in the EU for at least the last two consecutive years and holds documentary proof from the EU government concerned.’

Clayton West secretary Mark Firth said: “Following the return home of our overseas player Kashif Rasheed on compassionate grounds, we were refused League permission to sign another non-EU player, and then we lost another of our leading players when Australian Chris Thompson, who held a British passport, was allegedly assaulted and ended up in hospital.

“We then had the chance to sign Azam, who we believed checked out as an EU-registered player according to rules laid down in the Drakes League handbook, and we signed him in good faith.

“We accepted we were going to get relegated, that is not an issue, but we feel we are now being penalised for what was a technicality when he was first registered.”

Drakes’ executive secretary Trevor Atkinson said:

“Unfortunately the original registration was found to be incorrect. Mohammed Azam is not a British citizen, nor have we been able to see his passport, which is said to be at the Home Office.

“Had we received the correct information at the time, he would not have been registered.

“And while we accept it was a genuine mistake on Clayton West’s part, there is a certain duty of care to ensure the club fully check out the details on players they sign.”

Although Azam’s appearance against Skelmanthorpe was his eighth match for Clayton, it was the first time he had made an impression, taking five for 29 and scoring 53 with the bat.