Cumbria’s group rivals Staffordshire have been handed an NCCA Twenty20 Cup lifeline after being reinstated into the competition.
Staffs, who are the defending champions, were seemingly knocked out of the initial group stage following Monday’s final round of matches.
Their two games against Cumbria at Carlisle had been rained-off and although that was good news for the host county it wasn’t for the visitors.
However, it has subsequently emerged that Northumberland – who Staffordshire played in Group One – fell foul of NCCA rules in their fixture against Cheshire.
Northumberland fielded former pros Jacques Du Toit, who had also played previously for Cumbria, and Stuart Poynter in the matches at Oxton. Both have played more than 40 games across first-class and List A fixtures.
Counties are only permitted to field one player whose combined tally of first-class and List A appearances exceeds the 40-mark.
Northumberland had finished in second place in the group to advance to the Super 12s stage. Staffs missed out as one of the best third-placed finishers.
The competition has been tweaked this summer with the top two from each of the five groups qualifying.
The best two third-placed sides also progressed which, after Monday’s results, were Cambridgeshire and Herefordshire.
But Northumberland’s removal from the T20 Cup sees Staffordshire back in contention to defend the crown they won last year.
Staffs defeated Berkshire and Cornwall on finals day to lift the silverware for the first time in their history.
Staffordshire will now travel to Norwich’s Manor Park on Sunday, May 19 for the next instalment of the short format.
On the day they will take on hosts Norfolk and Hertfordshire.
The winners of the day will then join the three other Super 12s victors at finals day later in the month.
The other three groups see Cumbria host Lincolnshire and Herefordshire; Oxfordshire entertain Dorset and Cambridge, and Berkshire have home advantage in games against Shropshire and Cornwall.
