A statement from the Somerset Cricket League on the incident between Minehead and Purnell

A club bowler who threw the ball to the boundary to concede five runs and deny an opposition player the chance to make his first century has been banned for nine games.

Minehead batsman Jay Darrell was left on 98 not out when an opposing Purnell CC player, instead of bowling the ball, sent it to the boundary to give his side the runs they needed to win.

The Somerset Cricket League said external-link the incident "brought the SCL and cricket in general into disrepute" and "was against the spirit of the game".

It added: "As a result of this review, a Purnell CC player has been banned for the next nine completed SCL matches."

The player has not been named.

Minehead tweeted afterwards that it was "not nice to see" and, even though the Purnell captain "apologised to the batsman on behalf of his bowler", that "some things just can't be undone".

Darrell was a little more diplomatic and said it was a "shame the way it ended but oh well".