Cricket star loses his case - and his job (From Western Telegraph)

Cricket star loses his case - and his job

Beleaguered Lamphey cricketer David Lovell suffered a double whammy on Wednesday.

The top batsman not only lost a long-running legal action, but also his job at the ITV Digital Call Centre.

Secretary to Lamphey Cricket Club, John Green, said: Its not been a good day in court or at ITV Digital.

Speaking of the court case, he added: David had been very upset about it. He didnt want it to come to this stage.

Lovell sued Pembrokeshire County Cricket Club (PCCC) after it decided to ban him from playing cricket for four months.

The ban was imposed after an alleged swearing incident at a match between Kilgetty and Lamphey last August.

Lovell - who had an unblemished disciplinary record and the highest batting average of any player in the country (199.6) at club level last year - admitted swearing at Kilgetty players under provocation, but denied swearing at umpire David Morris.

He subsequently sued PCCC on the basis that the disciplinary hearing was not conducted correctly.

His barrister, Charles Parsley, told Mr Justice Neuberger at a special High Court hearing at Haverfordwest that Lovell should have been present during the whole hearing, not solely to give his evidence.

This, he said, was in line with recommendations laid out by the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board).

Mr Parsley argued that as PCCC had sought ECB guidance in the past, there must be a recognition that it was appropriate to do so.

But Daniel Beard, barrister for PCCC, said there was no contractual arrangement between the parties and therefore no issue.

The fact that these things are organised and people participate in them cant automatically give rise to a contractual arrangement which can be litigated in court, he said.

Delivering his verdict, Mr Justice Neuberger accepted that Lovells rights were breached and he should have been able to attend the whole displinary hearing.

But he said Lovell should not have abandoned the appeal procedure and should have accepted the offer of a rehearing.

He dismissed the cricketers action against PCCC, saying it would be unusual for a court to interfere halfway through a disciplinary procedure.

Lovell must now pay 70% of PCCCs costs - as well as his own - and he is banned from playing for Lamphey until such time as any appeal takes place.

Stephen Hill, solicitor for PCCC, said: Mr Lovell has asked that we give consideration to reinstating the appeal and lifting the ban, pending the appeal. Those matters are under consideration.