YORKSHIRE off spinner Azeem Rafiq has been handed a month-long suspension by the ECB for his infamous Twitter rant at England under-19s boss John Abrahams.

Rafiq was dropped from the second Test against Sri Lanka at Scarborough last week after breaking a team curfew, an issue which is believed to have been raised with the 19- year-old in the past.

The teenager, from Barnsley, reacted by posting the following on the social network site: “What a f***ing farsee ...

John Abrahams is a useless ****... ECB prove it again what incompetent people are working for them!!”

Rafiq pleaded guilty to two charges yesterday, apologising for his actions to a threeman panel at Lord’s.

The charges were that there had been a breach of ECB directives by a personal attack in a public statement about Abrahams, and also by bringing the game into disrepute by that public statement.

An ECB statement read: “The panel considered this to be a serious breach of the regulations, particularly given Rafiq’s position as captain of the England-U19 side.”

Rafiq has been suspended until August 26, the period being backdated from July 26.

He has also been ordered to pay £500 towards the cost of the hearing.

Rafiq has only played two LV County Championship matches and ten Friends Provident Twenty20 matches this season.

As things stand, Rafiq would be available to return to first team duties in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road on August 31.

The White Rose county refused to comment yesterday, but will make a statement today.