THE North Wales Cricket League has finally acted after Northop and St Asaph brought shame on the Premier Division.

Northop will start the 2019 season with a points deduction and without suspended duo Jordan Evans and Mark Poynton.

The Flintshire outfit have been severely reprimanded by the powers that be after Evans was involved in a physical altercation with St Asaph batsman Mathew Ryan.

Opener Ryan was caught by Evans off the bowling of James Birch and that proved the flashpoint in the end of season dead rubber on September 15.

An eye witness said: “It was certainly cricket with a difference. I’ve never seen anything like it. The crowd were amazed.”

But while St Asaph have been exonerated from any blame, Evans has been handed a 20-week ban, 10 of which are suspended, with captain Poynton sidelined for the first two games of the new campaign.

Northop have also been docked 30 points with 15 suspended, meaning they will be playing catch up when the 2019 top-flight season gets underway next April.

Evans' father, Phil, has opted to step down from his roles as vice chairman and discipline secretary within the North Wales Cricket League.

League chairman Bob Sugden said: "It is always disappointing when something like this happens. There is no place for it on a cricket field and I hope people learn that such behaviour is unacceptable."

Northop refused to comment, insisting that any correspondence would be issued via the club's official website, however the Flintshire side will not be appealing the penalties.

The disciplinary issues overshadowed an impressive first season back in the Premier Division for Northop, who secured a fifth placed finish, one spot ahead of St Asaph.

Gareth Ryan, chairman of St Asaph, was pleased to see son, Mathew, exonerated, and stressed the need to try and re-establish a relationship with Northop.

He said: "St Asaph Cricket Club's main concern is to restore a relationship with Northop. We want to re-establish the good relationship we had with Northop a few years ago and to make sure that there is no animosity between the two clubs moving forward."