Including former Yorkshire and Kent Academy all-rounder Ollie Robinson in their line-up for three indoor games has proved costly for Whitstable CC.

The early favourites for the Canterbury Pharon League Division 1 title named the Thanet-born all-rounder - who played seven NatWest T20 Blast appearances for Yorkshire this summer - in their side for games they won against Gravesend 2nds, Christ Church University and Faversham.

The six points they accrued have however been wiped, with two points awarded to each of the defeated teams instead as in choosing Robinson – whom Yorkshire had released – Whitstable broke an ECB rule which states “a cricketer whose registration and contract to a First-Class county is cancelled after April 1 may not play in any ECB club competition until the following season.”

A fast bowler, hard-hitting batsman and athletic fielder, Robinson began his career with Margate, where his father, Ian, is captain.

He then played Kent League cricket for Sandwich and was in the Kent Academy squad for 2009-11. Before moving to Yorkshire, he had played indoors for Margate.

In three Twenty20 innings for Yorkshire, Robinson took 6-162 in 17 overs and held three catches, aswell as scoring three runs.

He also bowled four wicketless overs for Yorkshire in a one-day match against Sri Lanka and hit 119 for their 2nd XI in a three-dayer with Gloucestershire.

Whitstable’s punishment, made with ECB approval, was announced shortly after they had thrashed old rivals Canterbury and, with a 100% record, gone two points clear at the top of Division 1.

To maintain their challenge for the title, the former national champions will have to keep on winning in the hope that the teams above them, Canterbury and Christ Church University, drop points.