High Roding s hopes of having an international cricket star turn out for them this season were crushed on Friday night. Barbadian and West Indian fast bowler Tino Best was set to play for the club after being omitted from the West Indies squad for their t

High Roding's hopes of having an international cricket star turn out for them this season were crushed on Friday night.

Barbadian and West Indian fast bowler Tino Best was set to play for the club after being omitted from the West Indies squad for their tour of England.

Mel Hussain, who is a personal friend of Tino's, had secured the services of the bowler who has played 12 tests for the West Indies, with the ECB and T Rippon League initially giving the move their approval.

Tino arrived in the country on Tuesday, but word soon got around and Saturday's opponents Springfield declared that they were considering pulling out of Saturday's game because they feared for their players' safety.

The league called a meeting for Friday after Springfield had proposed a new rule that no player who had played first class cricket in the previous 24 months should be eligible to play in the league with immediate effect.

This motion was carried, much to the disappointment of Roding meaning Tino is unable to play for the club.

High Roding bowler Darren Bennett said: "Tino is really a lovely guy, and he would only bowl fast at the stumps and not at the bodies of players as Springfield feared."

Tino enjoyed his visit to High Roding spending Wednesday and Thursday with the Colts, and although he is now playing for Cronham in the Lancashire League he may return to play in a friendly later in the summer.

- Following the West Indies' collapse against England at the weekend in the second test, Tino has been invited to train with the West Indies team in Manchester before the next test match.

- High Roding enjoyed a hugely satisfying victory over top-of-the-table Springfield on Saturday.

Springfield won the toss and put Roding in to bat, and the innings was only a couple of overs old when Roding's Allan Fairlie-Clarke swept a ball to leg that hit umpire Les Cooper in the temple causing him to collapse.

The players came to his assistance and ice was rushed from the pavilion before the emergency services arrived, and declared he was well enough to return home and not attend hospital.

The innings was resumed and the openers scored steadily until the first wicket fell at 51. The next two put on a partnership of 40 before the second wicket fell with 91 runs on the board.

Fairlie-Clarke scored 24, Matthew Everitt 31, Jeff Clarke 20, Matt Hammond 25 and finally Mel Hussain top scored with 53 as Roding finished on 211-8 off the 45 overs.

Springfield batted steadily without ever being up with the run rate required and were 53-3 at one point.

They then had a good partnership before Mel Hussain introduced himself and Clarke into the attack and this had the desired effect.

Hussain finished with 4-32 and Clarke 2-44 as Springfield were finally dismissed for 188 with High Roding's up and down week ending on a positive note.

- The seconds won once again this time at Molehill Green. Batting first Roding scored 266-8, with Richard Linney 77 and Orban Holdgate 74 top scoring. Molehill could not match Roding and were finally all out for 124.

Saturday sees Roding visit near neighbours Aythorpe, while the seconds entertain Ashdon.