Yorkshire have handed one-day captain Alex Lees a two-match suspension, suspended for 12 months, following comments made to the media.
Lees’ remark came after umpire Martin Saggers awarded a no-ball for a breach of fielding regulations during a T20 Blast defeat by Nottinghamshire on Friday.
Following the three-wicket defeat at Trent Bridge Lees, 23, said: “It’s boiled down to a terrible decision by the umpire. I don’t know how, from 40 yards away, you can tell if someone is in or out of the ring, and it’s cost us 12 runs.
“Even if someone is out by a yard, can you see that from 40 yards? He said that he watched the bowler from his run-up all the way and said he watched me all the way.
“I don’t think he’s doing his job properly if he’s looking at me when the bowler’s bowling. I don’t know how he can track it. I don’t know how he can track all seven players in the ring.”
Lees has accepted the club’s decision with the suspension liable to be activated by, and under the terms of, the ECB Cricket Discipline Commission should Lees breach any ECB Directive within the 12-month period.
The batsman has apologized for his comments, saying: “I regret comments made following Friday night’s game and I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to Martin.
“These comments are uncharacteristic and were made in the heat of the moment.
“I understand the seriousness of the offence and regret these actions. I am now keen to put this incident behind me and concentrate on the important games coming up at Headingley this week.”
