WALSHAW captain Mikey Watt has expressed his disappointed at the decision to throw his side out of the Lancashire Knockout Cup after it was ruled on Monday they had fielded an ineligible player in their second-round victory over Bolton League side Little Lever.

Despite a comprehensive 98-run victory over the Victory Road men in the second round, Walshaw have been penalised for playing both Raki Weerasundara and Ben Hilder.

“Obviously we are extremely disappointed with the decision from the LCB, especially as they agreed with us that we haven’t deliberately tried to gain an advantage nor have we broken the spirit of the rules,” said Watt.

The competition rules state that teams must only play league registered members of their club, of which two can be overseas players. “That is what we did,” said Watt.

“The rules state two overseas players – one can be a professional and one can be an amateur. “We played two amateurs which is obviously a lower classification than that allowed. “We simply interpreted the rules wrong, and although we accept it’s our responsibility, this wasn’t clarified when we registered our two overseas with the LCB at the start of the completion.

“We comfortably beat Little Lever on the day and have lost out on a technicality and wording of the rules, which Little Lever chose to raise.” Watt is determined the decision will not affect his side’s hopes for success this season and says his team are more determined than ever to succeed in the other competitions.

He said: “We will move on now and concentrate on this weekends league and cup double header against Edgworth and Bury respectively. “We’re not going to dwell on it and it has made our team hungrier to succeed in the competitions that we are still in.

“We have small consolation knowing that there was a lot of sympathy with our position with the competition organisers and LCB confirmed by the fact that they took a week to come to a decision and they are looking to rewrite the rules for next year.”

Little Lever have been reinstated in the competition and will play Prestwich in the third round.