Cricket match row erupts into violence
A cricket match descended into violence after a row erupted between a player and spectator, it has emerged.
Fordhouses and Old Hill, from the second division of the Birmingham Premier League, have both been sanctioned following the incident at Fordhouses' Jack Threlfall Memorial Ground in Wolverhampton on June 17.
It saw a row break out between Old Hill’s Nigel Davenport and spectator Pervaiz Akhtar, the father of a Fordhouses player Shoaib Akhtar.
But that argument soon escalated and umpires confirmed that Fordhouses players entered the field of play in a non-confrontational manner to resolve the situation before Mr Davenport reportedly struck both Akhtar senior and junior.
That led to the Birmingham Premier League disciplinary committee banning Mr Davenport for 10 games and initially imposing a 48 point deduction on Fordhouses for failing to manage the situation correctly.
Old Hill were deducted 24 points for the incident, while Fordhouses saw their deduction reduced to 36 points on appeal.
The appeal was overseen by sports barrister Nigel Stelling.
In a statement published on the Birmingham Premier League website, he said: “In respect of the first incident we received clear evidence from the umpire Mr Bhatti that Davenport struck Akhtar Senior.
“As described hitherto, the incident escalated, Davenport was seen by both umpires to punch Akhtar junior with a clenched fist.
“Whist this was denied by Davenport he did admit contact with Akhtar Junior and using the language described by other witnesses.”
Mr Stelling confirmed the punishment dished out to Fordhouses was due to how they managed the situation.
Fordhouses president, former Wolves director Kevin Threlfall, said he was ‘desperately disappointed’ by the verdict and insisted that the club had been made ‘scapegoats’ by the league.
“We spent £2,000 on an appeal with the reasoning that although the points deduction was frustrating because we were top of the league, the most important thing was to clear the name of Fordhouses Cricket Club,” he said.
“We believe the points deduction is grossly unfair and disproportionate to the events as there was no physical violence whatsoever from us. Morale at the club is at an all time low, but we will take the decision on the chin and do everything we can to push for promotion.”
The statement from Mr Stelling continued: “Reference has already been made to the fact that the ‘first incident’ went on for some time.
“It was our unanimous view that this reflected a substantial failure to ‘manage’ the situation.
“Moreover, it was entirely foreseeable that there was likely to be further problems given that Akhtar senior had remained on the ground. Nothing was said or done to prevent him approaching and confronting members of the Old Hill Club.”
The barrister also revealed that Mr Davenport’s punishment was limited to 10 games because the incident was out of character.
He said: “The 24-point reduction, the team penalty, was in our view merciful, but no doubt reflected the fact that the club would be without a senior player for the duration of his suspension.” Old Hill chairman Mo Javaid said: “As a club we need to move forward and I just hope that both sets of players can put this incident behind them and respect cricket’s code of conduct.”
The sides are due to meet again at Old Hill’s ground on August 28.
League chairman Robin Viner said: “I hope both sides can put this incident behind them and the return fixture is a game of cricket played in the proper way.”
