A PAIR of batsmen from a Bournemouth cricket club have received multiple match bans after an altercation during a Hampshire League game.

The match at Wallisdown Recreation Ground, between Old Bournemouthians Cricket Club and visitors Hordle Village, had only just got started when the incident occurred.

Witnesses said the opening batsmen for the home side –captain Malick Kudmany and Peter Kritzinger – got into a dispute over a run, with the former using racist abuse and the latter striking him in response.

Ed Baker, who was bowling for Hordle at the time, said: “I have never seen anything like that in almost 30 years playing club cricket – especially at this level.

“They ran a single then another was declined and then it kicked off. We never found out what was behind it all.

“This is a gentle league which has young children playing in it as well as veterans, and the fight was a dreadful example to them and those watching from the boundary.”

After an investigation by the league’s Rules and Disciplinary Committee, Mr Kudmany, who had been playing in his first game after a previous ban, was handed an eight-match ban for using racial abuse. Mr Kritzinger was handed a 17-match ban for striking his batting partner.

The league match report stated that Mr Kritzinger was ‘retired out’ after apparently departing the field of play. Mr Kudmany was then bowled for eight runs by Mr Baker.

However the home team eventually won the Regional Division Four South West match with 291-4, beating Hordle, with 276-4, by 15 runs.

Old Bournemouthians CC, a club for those with links to Bournemouth School, is new to the league, in which most participating clubs are New Forest based.