Cejay Outerbridge and Okera Bascome have withdrawn as reserves for St George’s in Cup Match because of “personal reasons”.

However, rumours are circulating that Outerbridge did not want to be “locked in”, as players who serve as a reserve are not eligible to play for the other club. Bascome was a reserve for St George’s in 2015.

Damon Walker, the chairman of the St George’s selection committee, confirmed that the two youngsters had withdrawn as reserves for personal reasons.

Outerbridge was a serious contender for selection, along with another left-arm medium pace bowler, Charles Trott, but both missed out and were named as reserves.

“Cejay wrote in and cited personal reasons and just left it at that,” Walker said. “We have junior reserves so the reserves will be Charles Trott and Isaiah Greaves and Dean Simons.

“That was their choice to decline and there is nothing much we can do about that.”

Robert Simons, the grandfather of Outerbridge, said his grandson was considered injured by the selectors during Saturday’s final trial match.

Ryan Steede, the St George’s coach, said they did not want to risk selecting Outerbridge because of a slight groin injury.

“[Outerbridge] was telling me that everybody is saying he’s injured so if he is injured then why pick him as a reserve?” Simons said. “No, it wasn’t about being locked in. I’m encouraging him to hang in there and wait until next year and see what happens.

“I would have thought they would take one of the left-arm quickies, either him or Charles Trott.”

Simons, a former fast bowler himself, made his debut at the age of 38 in the Eighties, at the time the oldest Cup Match colt.

“He doesn’t want to be like his grandfather, does he?” Simons laughed.

The ruling was agreed to by the clubs several years ago, with one player, Regino Smith, now only eligible to play for Somerset after being named as a reserve for the West Enders last year. Previously he tried out for St George’s.

“I like the ruling the way it is, because it shows who’s dedicated to the cause and who is not,” Walker said. “That’s not what it’s meant for, locking people in and discouraging their cricket careers.

“At the end of the day it’s all about cricket, so if one feels they want to try out for another club then so be it. I want people to try out for St George’s because they have the heart for St George’s and don’t want to play for anybody else.”