A NORTH-East MP has called for the England Cricket Board (ECB) to explain the harsh sanctions placed on Durham County Cricket Club after claiming leaked documents show it ignored its own regulations.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones also called for the ECB to remove the 48 point pre-season point deduction as a way of restoring faith in the organisation for cricket fans in the region.

Thursday’s debate in Parliament was secured by Mr Jones, who has been critical of how the ECB has handled issues at the club.

In October the board agreed a £3.8m rescue of the debt-ridden club, but imposed severe sanctions which saw the three-times county champions relegated to Division Two, start next season with a 48-point deduction and face penalties in both of cricket’s cup competitions.

The club, which appointed Ian Botham as chairman last month, will also no longer be able to host test matches.

Speaking in Westminster House, Mr Jones said a copy of the ECB’s financial regulations had been leaked to him, which included details of sanctions imposed on bankrupt clubs.

He said: “There’s no mention of clubs in financial difficulties. Durham was not bankrupt.”

He added: “Where did the 48-point reduction come from? There’s no mention in these regulations of penalties like taking away test matches or caps in terms of salaries.

“The ECB has ignored its own financial regulations. What we need as a matter of urgency is a clear examination of how they arrived at that point deduction.”

Mr Jones has previously called for the ECB to explain how it arrived at its decision, which he said a source told him had been made on a train.

He has now called for the body to remove the point deductions before the start of next season.

He said: “Going into the new season without the 48-point penalty would be a step forward would be seen as the one thing the ECB could do to reinstate some faith in North-East fans.”

Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods said the sanctions put the cricket club in a “really difficult, if not impossible, situation.”

She added: “It’s seems extraordinarily punitive but also a bit stupid if they are interested in keeping cricket going in Durham.”

Concerns were raised about the impact if test matches are no longer played at the Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street.

Mr Jones said: “It’s not clear to me whether the ECB has thought of the implications of the decision, not just on the fan base in the North-East but the knock-on effect of producing international cricketers and the impact on the local economy.”

Durham is being reconstituted as a community interest company. In October Durham County Council converted a £3.7m loan into shares in the company.