Bailey’s Bay have announced their intention to withdraw from the Eastern Counties Cricket Association after Cleveland were reportedly reinstalled as champions.

At a heated meeting last night, the ECCA announced 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.

However, according to sources in the meeting, the ECCA has made an about-turn because last night committee members reportedly said “the umpires did not feel threatened” by the behaviour of the Cleveland players.

In response, Bay posted a tweet that said: “BBCC has today officially withdrawn from any further participation in Eastern Counties both senior and junior teams indefinitely.”

Club sources said that Bay were now considering hosting games in direct competition to the Eastern Counties, and that St David’s, who are also unhappy with the decision, may join them.

“We will see what happens,” a Bay spokesman said. “We have 80 per cent of the fanbase anyway.”