ECB sorry over bowl-out debacle

Surrey look on as the drama of the bowl-out unfolds

The ECB has apologised over the chaos created in Monday's Twenty20 Cup quarter-final that saw Surrey Lions beat Warwickshire Bears in a bowl-out.

Surrey believed they had won in normal fashion after umpires advised players the Bears needed to match a Duckworth-Lewis target of 118 to win.

Warwickshire finished on 117-8, but a tie was later adjudged under a new rule applying to knockout stages of the Cup.

"ECB and umpires concerned apologise to all for the confusion," the body said.

The error made by umpires David Constant and Alan Jones was spotted by the ECB's cricket operations manager Alan Fordham.

It was concluded that the correct regulation should be applied and that a bowl-out should take place ECB statement

His ruling prompted scenes of disorder as players, coaches, umpires and scorers argued on the ground.

"We thought we had won it and contested the decision to bowl out before finally agreeing," Surrey chief executive Paul Sheldon said.

The ECB issued a statement which said the bowl-out was the correct way to decide the match.

"In a pressurised situation the umpires made a mistake in informing players that if Warwickshire scored one run less than the D-L target Surrey would win," the statement read.

"The Twenty20 Cup regulations clearly state that when a D-L target has been set, a side batting second scoring one less than the target score results in a tie.

"As soon as the problem was established the umpires consulted with ECB as to whether to apply the correct regulation and order a bowl-out or to adhere to the faulty advice that had been given to the players.

"It was concluded that the correct regulation should be applied and that a bowl-out should take place."

The bowl-out, a first in the Twenty20 Cup's short history, finished 55 minutes after the end of the match and was settled when Tim Murtagh hit the stumps to award Surrey a 3-2 verdict.