Two-time winners Shipton-under-Wychwood have withdrawn from the npower Village Cup as they break the competition’s revised rules.

This year, no club who pay anyone for playing cricket including air fares and accommodation, are allowed to enter.

Shipton are paying Sri Lankan Romesh Eranga, who is due to arrive this week, to be their player-coach, so captain Paul Hemming said they felt obliged to pull out.

The 2002 and 2003 champions’ withdrawal means Oxford Downs received a bye into the Oxfordshire semi-finals.

Hemming said: “We’ve got a Sri Lankan, Romesh, coming over to be our player-coach.

“He has not yet arrived, ironically, because of a hold-up with his visa.

“The fact is that he is coming, and we are about the only club being above board.

“There are several clubs in the same boat as us, but most of them are finding ways to get around this.

“No matter how we are paying Romesh, we are paying him.

“We feel that if we played on in the competition, we could not go on with a clear conscience.

“We had Sahan Wijeratne over last year when the rules were slightly more relaxed.

“It is in black and white now. If you are paying anything, you can’t play.”

Despite Hemmings’s comments, the remaining Oxfordshire sides left in the npower Village Cup that we contacted said they were competing within the rules.

Downs captain Wes Bartlett said there would be no problem with the expected arrival of Johann Myburgh from New Zealand.

“If he is able to play in the Cherwell League, the club should be able to play in the village cup,” said Bartlett.

Cumnor skipper Chris Mitty said neither coach Adam Cook or any of their players were being paid.

He said: “That is one of the reasons why we don’t have an overseas player this year.

“We have been very careful.”

Mitty added Cumnor had emailed the Wisden Cricketer, which organises the cup, to check about individual players’ cases.

“It seems to me that they are trying to focus on the spirit of the competition.”

Aston Rowant chairman Gary Condon said they were in a unique position because their overseas players works as groundsmen at Wormsley, so are not paid by the club.

“They are employed by someone else, but they can play for us,” he explained.

The remaining three Oxon quarter-finals will be played this Sunday after being rained off last week.

GREAT & Little Tew’s Andy Harris was named Scrumpy Jack player of the round after taking 5-5 in nine overs against Peppard.

Harris won the award for round two and will hope for similar success in the next round at home to Aston Rowant on Sunday.