A HAMPSHIRE cricketer has been banned for a year after an incident in which an umpire was allegedly assaulted and lost a tooth.

The umpire is said to have been headbutted by one of the players during a local derby between teams from Fawley and Hythe on July 7.

Now Hampshire Cricket League has revealed that disciplinary action has been taken against Fawley Cricket Club member Jason Ford.

A brief statement on the League's website says Mr Ford has been banned for 17 matches.

League chairman Denis Emery said the length of the ban meant the cricketer would not be able to play again until July next year.

Mr Emery, of Romsey, added: "He had never been in trouble before. If he had he would have received a lifetime ban - and quite rightly so."

Writing on social media, CricketWickets added: "This is sadly the latest in a string of unsavoury incidents and threatening behaviour that has crept into the amateur game; a cricket bat has also been thrown at an umpire this season."

The Daily Echo understands that a Hythe player was umpiring when he rejected an LBW appeal and was assaulted shortly afterwards.

Police were called and the fixture at the New Forest Academy in Long Lane, Holbury, was abandoned.

In a statement issued a few days later Chris Tona, chairman of Fawley Cricket Club, said: "The individual involved was immediately suspended by the committee pending a full disciplinary meeting.

"The club have contacted the Hampshire Cricket League chairman to report the incident and are working on providing an accurate statement of events to the League Disciplinary Committee.

"The club cannot comment any further while there is an ongoing police investigation."

But Mr Tona said Fawley Cricket Club was committed to fair play and was "very disappointed" that the incident had occurred.

He added: "We have a very clear code of conduct which is displayed in our club pavilion and on the website and we expect those standards to be maintained at all times."

A police spokesman said no arrests had been made but added: "The investigation is ongoing."

Mr Ford was unavailable for comment.

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