Bailey’s Bay may have an unlikely supporter in their battle with the Eastern Counties Cricket Association in fierce rivals St David’s.

Bay announced on Tuesday that they would be withdrawing indefinitely from the competition over the decision to reinstate Cleveland as champions after they were stripped of the title.

They could now have support from St David’s who have called a special meeting with their executives for tonight to discuss the latest developments which have rocked the competition.

The ECCA announced on Tuesday that it was reversing an earlier decision to strip Cleveland of the cup after the controversial first-round match against Bay, which ended in a draw.

As a result of the Bay game, five Cleveland players were punished for their behaviour, with Shaki Darrell served with a 14-game ban for committing several Level 3 offences of threatening the umpires.

Other bans were handed out to Allan Douglas Jr, the Cleveland captain, and Dennis Musson Jr, while Dion Stovell and Jason Anderson were reprimanded.

St David’s had their own fallout with the governing body in 2010 over the decision to hand Bay the series for the second straight year.

St David’s, champions at the time, ended up boycotting the competition for two years. Yesterday, Arrim Perinchief, the Bay president, confirmed that he had withdrawn his club from the competition and have urged their supporters to boycott the next two matches.

“It is with the utmost regret that Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club would like to inform its followers that we have withdrawn from any further participation in the Eastern County Cricket Association’s competition indefinitely,” Perinchief said in a statement.

“The actions of the association’s members and executive have left us with no option but to remove our club from the association and it’s competition.

“We would like to apologise to our fans and supporters. Words cannot describe the terrible injustice our fans had to endure at the last ECCA match held on July 18.

“The behaviour displayed, and ultimately allowed, by some senior ECCA executives has cast a shadow on the classic match our county communities so dearly look forward to every year.

“For those of our fans that had the unfortunate displeasure of having to witness that match on July 18, or who may have purchased a spot for the next games, we would strongly encourage you to seek a refund for the remaining two matches.

“No longer can we sit idly by and watch a ‘by any means necessary, win at all cost’ mentality be allowed to destroy the integrity of the game, bringing it into disrepute, and tarnishing years of Eastern County history.

“As long as the current Eastern County executive refuse to acknowledge and correct these issues, Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club will withdraw its team from the competition.”

No official word has been received from the Eastern Counties Cricket Association who reacted quickly to the initial incident, calling a meeting and stripping Cleveland of the title on an 9 to 5 vote.

Cleveland then launched an appeal which was heard just before Cup Match, although no decision was announced until Tuesday’s meeting.

Three years ago St David’s and Bay backed the appointed of Steven Douglas as the Eastern Counties president after Harold Millett choose not to run again for the post after two decades at the helm.

Cleveland will play Flatts in the second round on August 15, with St David’s playing the winners on August 29 in the final.