St Georges and Newport ordered to replay tie

St Georges won the original clash at Bowring by four shots but, under new rules introduced this year for the KGJ Insurance-backed knockout, they played an ineligible bowler, leading to post-match Newport objections.

But, following an investigation by the County Cup committee, a problem with out of date rules that were on the county association’s website on the day of the tie means a replay has been ordered.

A committee spokesman explained: “St Georges played a player who hadn’t played a league game for them this season, Glyn Picknell.

“This breaks rule 14c which states ‘A player must have played at least one league game in a league affiliated to SCGBA for that club before the first round’.

“However, St Georges provided evidence that the rules on the (SCGBA) website were not the correct ones and were a previous version (that does not state a league game must be played).

“These were the 2017 rules, and that because the website reverts to a September 2017 version at times, they (St Georges) believed these were the rules.

“As a result of this, a replay will take place between the two teams on the same green at the Bowring on Wednesday, June 26, at 7 pm. St Georges will not be able to pick Glyn Picknell, because he has not played a league game for them this season, and no other players who haven’t played a league game for either team affiliated to the SCGBA will be able to play.

“Whoever wins this game will play Telepost in the quarter-final on Saturday, July13 - a date originally reserved for the first semi-final.

“Both County Cup semi-finals will now take place on Saturday, July 20.”