Heyside skipper Holt banned

Ben Holt

Versasteel Saddleworth and District Cricket League by KEVIN RICHARDSON

HEYSIDE Cricket Club are to appeal against the severity of the ban handed to Ben Holt.

The first-team skipper will not play in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League after this weekend until the start of season 2015.

In the match against Stayley on June 22, Holt was found to have abused an umpire, failed to control his players and harassed an umpire after the game.

The league’s executive committee received reports from both officials before coming to their decision.

While they do not condone Holt’s actions, Heyside are shocked at the length of the suspension and are set to fight it.

The club stripped Holt of the captaincy and he was stood down from last weekend’s league and Twenty20 fixtures before they received the news of the ban, which kicks in on Saturday, July 13.

The umpire in question has said he will not stand again this season.

Glodwick’s Shahid Mahmood has been banned for six games, with four more suspended until the end of season 2014.

The league found the all-rounder to have used aggressive behaviour towards players in the fixture against Austerlands, also on June 22.

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