Skipton Cricket Club have been disqualified from the Waddilove Cup for fielding an ineligible player.

The Sandylands side had been looking forward to a quarter-final tie at Beckwithshaw, having beaten division A side Otley on a bowl-out and Ilkley on a faster run-rate in rain-affected earlier rounds.

But they have been penalised for fielding Richard Walker against Ilkley contrary to league rules because the teenager had played in the Birtwhistle Cup for Silsden second team earlier in the season. Ilkley will play in the last eight instead on June 19.

Players are not eligible to play for more than one club in the same season in either the Waddilove, Birtwhistle or Ian Chappell Cups. Skipton captain Andrew Facey said that 15-year-old Walker had been called up from the second team as a late replacement for the Ilkley match.

The cup had provided some welcome relief for Skipton, who had sank to bottom spot in division C in the Airedale-Wharfedale League earlier this month. But Facey said the club knew it would be a tough season having made the decision not to appoint an overseas player and give younger players a chance instead.

They finally got their first league win of the season at the eighth attempt last Saturday against Alwoodley after losing five of their first seven games. The Skipton number one said blooding the likes of Gary and Kevin Owens, Matt Walker and Chris Parker - all aged between 18 and 22 - would hopefully bear fruit in the longer term.

He made the point that these four all had key roles in the side which might not have been the case had an overseas player come in and dominated with bat and ball.

He said: "Gary Owens is 18 years old and bowling 10 to 15 overs a week. He is our most consistent bowler."

And with junior sides now established at four different age-groups, Skipton - once a side who relied heavily on players imported from outside the area - are hopeful that a crop of home-grown youngsters will be ripe for picking in the future.

Facey is hoping his side can build on last week's win, especially as their next three games are against sides in the bottom half of the table.

"We knew it would be a struggle though we hoped to win a few more than we have done. We have played quite a few of the stronger teams already. Five of our first six games have been against sides who are in the top five."

Skipton lifted themselves off bottom spot with a five-wicket win at Alwoodley, thanks largely to a devastating 7-46 spell from Graham Williamson.