Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League

A TEN-POINTS deduction for fielding an unregistered player has plummeted Thame Town to the brink of the Division 2 West relegation zone.

Thame lost the points they gained from a two-wicket defeat at home to Burnham on July 9 at a Home Counties appeal hearing on Wednesday.

It’s understood a mix-up led to leg-spinner Rob Reeve playing when he wasn’t registered.

It leaves Thame just two points above Gerrards Cross, who occupy the second relegation spot.

Thame chairman Angus Lachlan said: “Everyone at the club acted in good faith and it was purely an administrative error, which dates back to the end of last season. There is no question of us cheating.”

Thame had to pay a £250 deposit to appeal, and Lachlan added that the league had not yet decided whether they would receive a full or part refund.

Vice-captain Michael Higgs said: “We are disappointed, but rules are rules and we have to accept there is nothing we can do about it. We have just got to focus on getting results in our last two games.”

Thame visit Dinton tomorrow, and are boosted by the return of James Neilson, Ed Barnett and Charlie Beardall from holiday plus Seetal Patel.

They replace Will Rooney (groin), Tom Hogan, Rob Jackson and Will Sutcliffe.

All-rounder Will Eason returns from holiday for bottom club Horspath’s crucial home game against Slough.

He comes into the side in place of batsman Joey Todd.

Skipper Adam Krol believes it is a game Horspath must win to have a chance of staying up.

“Anything but a win and we are struggling,” he said. “But we have our strongest side out and at home as well I think we are formidable.”

Karl Penhale and Andrew Tolson come into Aston Rowant’s side for the home game against Reading.

They take the places of Josh Smith and Chris Eaton.

Aston Rowant (v Reading, home): Morrick (capt), Morgan, Watling, Cooper, Tolson, Matthews, Cook, Penhale, Chapman, Needham, Leaney.

Horspath (v Slough, home): R Eason, Phillips, O’Connor, Rana, Skelton, Krol (capt), Wynd, W Eason, Biggs, Mohammed, Jeacock.

Thame Tn (v Dinton, away): Higgs, Neilson, P Patel, Beardall, Parmar, Bhatti, Lachlan (capt), S Patel, Barnett, Desai, Jeffcock.