BOURNEMOUTH are expected to be hauled over the coals following their eleventh-hour withdrawal from the Southern Premier League T20 Cup.

The Lions were due to travel to Sparsholt for a first-round encounter on Sunday, 24 hours after going down to a 32-run Division One defeat at Tichborne Park.

But skipper Chris Park claimed a simple lack of player availability left four-times finalists Bournemouth with no option but to forego their participation in the competition.

St. Cross Symondians were fined £100 and banned from this year's T20 Cup after scratching from last season's edition – and Southern Premier League chairman David Ridley confirmed the matter would be on the agenda at the next committee meeting.

He added: “Based on recent cases, I would expect Bournemouth to be fined and to be requested to reimburse Sparsholt for any costs incurred. They are also likely to be excluded from the 2018 T20 competition.”

Bournemouth have already sacrificed their involvement in the Royal London Club Championship this season, after a paucity of players forced them to pull out of that tournament.

The club has a rich T20 pedigree, most notably being crowned ECB Cockspur T20 Cup winners in front of the Sky Sports cameras in 2009.

Bournemouth toppled strongly-fancied Reigate Priory in the semi-finals of the four-team tournament, before cruising to a six-wicket victory over ECB Nottinghamshire Premier League side Cuckney, from Mansfield, in the final.

Their most recent appearance in the Southern Premier League T20 Cup final was in 2011, when they were downed by current holders Havant.

Park told the Daily Echo: "The club pulled out on Sunday morning. Three of us were playing minor counties cricket for Dorset at Wiltshire, there was university cricket going on and, unfortunately, being Father’s Day, a lot of players from our top three sides were unavailable.

"We had 10 players as of Saturday, then Rob Pack pulled his hamstring and we had another lad hospitalised. So, overnight we were down to eight and the decision was made early in the morning.

"It is disappointing and something the club need to look at internally, regarding availability and making those types of decisions."