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Cricket: Cherwell duo in dust-up

From the archive, first published Monday 4th Aug 2003.

EXCLUSIVE by Mark Edwards

Tim Sutton and Jason Constable will be called before The Oxford Times Cherwell League disciplinary committee after an extraordinary dust-up during Saturday's Division 1 game between Oxford Downs and Shipton.

The duo came to blows midway through the Downs innings, forcing the game to be stopped for almost 15 minutes before normality was restored.

While Constable looks sure to be punished for his part in the scuffle, Sutton may be in even hotter water after allegedly hitting the Shipton all-rounder across the arm with the full force of his bat.

According to sources, trouble had been brewing since the tea interval, and words had been exchanged between the duo when Sutton came out to bat.

But matters reached a head when Constable was bowling to Sutton, and they twice collided when the Downs man attempted to run a two.

Witnesses claim that Sutton then turned round, and came at Constable, smashing his bat across his forearm.

Constable reacted, before his teammates came in to try and quash the trouble.

Umpires Les Burry and Ian Royle then told Downs captain Paul Hebbert either to retire Sutton, or face him being sent off the field. Hebbert sent his batsman to the pavilion.

Constable had already left the pitch to receive treatment to his arm, but was ordered to stay in the dressing room by his teammates.

Royle would not comment on the incident, apart from saying: "There will be a report going into the league secretary of the Cherwell League, but I can't say any more than that. It would be unfair on the players."

Constable said of the incident: "I know that I will get punished for reacting, but I cannot believe he did that.

"There were words exchanged, but no more than happens in every game of cricket. I have never known anyone lose it like that."

Hebbert declined to comment.

Shipton look set to be docked ten points as a result of the incident, having already had two warnings for poor behaviour this season.

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