The Hampshire Cricket League last night voted in favour of overseas players for its clubs.

A proposal was made by Flamingo and seconded by Fareham & Crofton for foreigners to be banned from the Hampshire League for the forthcoming season.

But a year after a similar proposal came within three votes of coming into effect, 79 people voted against the banning of overseas players - a majority of 30.

It needed two thirds of the votes to go through but only 49 people present at the HCL's Rose Bowl AGM were against overseas players plying their trade in the 72-club competition.

Last season, only 16 HCL clubs registered foreign nationals but Fareham & Crofton spokesman Bob Marchant, who argued the case for the banning of overseas players last night, said: "I'm surprised that so many people voted against the change, maybe they've had enough of the argument.

"But it's disappointing, and went against my better judgement. People said what they had to say but not enough spoke in favour of a ban on overseas players, it was a bit one-sided."

Earlier, Marchant told the AGM of why there should be a ban on overseas players, a year after his club had first proposed the rule change.

He said: "The Hampshire League is a recreational league, we want to enjoy the game and don't believe it's right to play with hired help.

"We play in divisions so people can play against players of a similar standard, not so that Saturday afternoons can be ruined by one player.

"Cricket is unique in that a single player can have a detrimental effect on one game with bat and ball and any gain provided by having an overseas player is offset by what they cost in financial terms and the taking away of the enjoyment and the level playing field.

"These players are taking up positions that could be taken up by youngsters or 20-25-year-olds who should be getting the chance to bat higher up the order.

"The money spent on overseas players could be better spent on improving facilities. It's all very well getting hired help to win you promotion but if the ground is not up to the required standard what's the point?"

Fair Oak were one of the clubs to have an overseas player last season. And a club spokesman defended the phenomenal impact of Morne van Rooyen, a Boland League player from South Africa, who scored 430 runs and took 24 wickets for the County Division One champions.

He said: "It's very difficult to get a colts section going but we have 150 kids and the overseas player provides them with excellent coaching as well as putting in countless hours getting our ground to Southern League standard.

"He also act as an ambassador for the club when he goes to coach in local schools. These guys are indispensable, they improve the environment for everyone.

"Why punish teams with active colts sections? At Fair Oak we have several players in the first team under 18 and it's certainly not just one player getting all the runs and wickets.

"Other clubs have English players who just turn up and play well below their level. What's the difference?"

The HCL management committee were in favour of a ban and chairman Chris James said: "There were one or two clubs who have overseas players who are in discussion with the management committee over current facilities so I'm not sure what they're trying to achieve.

"And we're not saying that these overseas players cannot come over to work on the ground and coach - we are just saying that they shouldn't be playing!"

A spokesman for village side Ropley hit back by saying: "We've had overseas players from three different continents.

"Cricket is a global game and we've had players from Antigua, South Africa and Australia who act as role models for the kids and who the older players also enjoy playing alongside."