LEAGUE officials are set to investigate Saturday's stormy clash between Moorlands rivals Ashcombe Park and Checkley.

The match ended in controversial fashion after umpires Barry Brereton and Peter Bucknall declared the match drawn at 8.45pm due to visibility problems caused by the setting sun.

Checkley were just five runs short of victory with six overs still remaining at that point. And the premature ending sparked angry scenes on the touchline.

Umpires and Ashcombe players were allegedly subject to abuse, while players and officials from both clubs are said to have been involved in confrontations.

Ashcombe skipper Dave Goodwin branded the reaction to Saturday's umpiring decision 'way over the top' and claimed his side were subjected to 'various levels of abuse'.

He said: "The umpires can only go with their gut feeling. Our keeper said he could not see the ball (due to the setting sun). I can understand why they (Checkley) were annoyed, but the reaction was way over the top."

Goodwin conceded that Checkley had looked likely winners if the match had continued. "It's tough on Checkley," added the skipper. "It was a tight game. But if they had lost another wicket they would have been asking to come off."

Ashcombe have already penned their observations from the game which have been sent to the North Staffs and South Cheshire League.

League manager Keith Tunnicliffe confirmed that allegations from the match will be looked into.

"The match will be investigated," said Tunnicliffe. "We will look at all aspects of what happened and request the views of both clubs before deciding what action, if any, needs to be taken."

Checkley captain Andy Carr, who was one of the two batsmen still at the crease when the umpires called time, remained tight-lipped over allegations of post-match confrontations. But he was critical of Ashcombe's bowling rate and the manner in which the Division Two fixture ended.

"All captains should be aware of the over rate," said Carr. "It is important that that is adhered to and those involved know the consequences. Win lose or draw – for both sides – at the end of the day it is an amateur game of cricket and should not have ended in that way. I'm a little unhappy in the way the game lost control. It was clear the umpires have never been put in that situation before in terms of the sunlight. But I fully accept the umpires have to take into account the safety of all those involved.

"The game was played in great spirit between two great sides. Unfortunately it ended in what was a disappointing outcome for an amateur game."

Brereton, who has been umpiring for 21 years, admitted the game would have ended differently if neither side had raised the issue of visibility.

"The game would have been played out if no-one had mentioned the light," he added.