Essex cricketers are due to hold a high level meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding their National League defeat by Surrey.
Stand-in skipper Paul Grayson, head coach Graham Gooch and injured team captain Ronnie Irani were seeking clarification of the league's rules following the county's three-wicket defeat at the AMP Oval on Sunday.
Grayson and his Essex team-mates were incensed that they were not awarded extra runs as per the competition's rule book after the division one leaders failed to bowl their allotted 45 overs in the stipulated time.
The league rules state clearly that for every complete over not bowled in the time allowed the opposition shall be awarded six extra runs.
Essex were awarded nothing by match umpires John Hampshire and Roy Palmer, despite the fact Surrey still had two overs to bowl when their time ran out.
"We should have been allocated at least six extra runs," a disgruntled Grayson told the Gazette after watching his side get bowled out for 220 with four balls left.
"We were fully aware of the situation and made sure Surrey had enough time to bowl out by ordering our incoming batsmen to cross on the outfield to save time when somebody was out.
"Graham had a chat with the umpires during the break and they told him they didn't allocate us any extra runs because of the time it took to replace the bails after the wind kept blowing them off.
"It's entirely up to the umpire's discretion and we're pretty miffed about it."
More on Essex County Cricket Club
Published Tuesday, June 10, 2003
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