Cannock and Rugeley dump star

Cannock and Rugeley have dumped overseas player Dwayne Arthurton and requested special dispensation to the Staffs Clubs Championship for a replacement.

Arthurton, the brother of former West Indies Test player Keith, arrived just before the start of the season but played just one league game before a parting of the ways, with the club claiming he was not good enough.

"We never thought he was good enough so we put him in the seconds and he didn't want to play," said captain Aqil Ahmed. "He netted with us and then we gave him a chance to play in a friendly and a midweek game, but he wasn't up to it.

"He had said he'd played first class cricket in the West Indies and got a lot of runs back home but if he was even 10 per cent as good as his brother, he would be playing in the Birmingham League. He's been here less than 10 months and I don't think he's played in that time. But we left on good terms."

Ahmed is now hoping the league will grant Cannock and Rugeley special dispensation to allow them to recruit a replacement.

"The league say after April 30 you can't recruit an overseas player, but we're looking to replace him and they have asked us to write to them, so hopefully they will let us have one," said Ahmed.

Meanwhile, C&R were left frustrated last week after posting their highest score of the season – 311-5 – yet could only emerge with a winning draw against Beacon. Ashley Perry hit 125 in 46 overs after joining Ahmed (51) at the crease in the second over.

After sitting on 93 at a drinks break after 26 overs, they showed their thirst for runs by smashing 218 in the remaming 24 overs. After Ahmed was dismissed in the 28th over, Danny King joined Perry and added 70 before Riswan Hussain smashed 30 in two overs.

Perry is unavailable for Saturday's clash with Hammerwich, with his place going to Nick Morris.