Welsh club in strife for tactical declaration

The Welsh club at the centre of a controversial declaration that netted them the title could be on the verge of being stripped of the honour.

Carew Cricket Club have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute following their decision to declare at 1-18 after just 2.3 overs in their 'title-deciding' match against Cresselly last month.

Carew entered the match with a 21-point buffer at the top of the ladder and the decision to close their innings early meant Cresselly could only pick up 20 points for the victory and were unable to register any bonus points.

The decision by Carew captain Brian Hall to declare was met with strong criticism, with ex-England Test player Steve James and former Australia quick Jason Gillespie among those to query the move.

Pembroke County Cricket Club (PCCC), who are responsible for enforcing the regulations within Pembrokeshire cricket, initially setup a sub-committee to investigate the complaints and have duly decided to charge Carew Cricket Club with bringing the game into disrepute.

Carew will now face a disciplinary hearing later this month and could be stripped of their title should PCCC decide to hand down the stiffest of penalties.

"Pembroke County Cricket Club received several written complaints concerning the conduct of both Carew CC and their captain, Brian Hall, following their match with Cresselly," a statement from PCCC read.

"In accordance with the procedures as outlined in the county handbook a disciplinary sub-committee met on Monday, 11 September.

"As a result of that meeting Carew have been charged with bringing the county cricket club into disrepute.

"Mr Hall has been charged with a failure in his duties as a captain in ensuring the game was played within the spirit of cricket."

The disciplinary hearing has been set down to take place on Tuesday September 26.