TWO cricketers have been banned from the sport for a year after a fight in which one of the men hit the other over the head with a bat.

Rival players Stuart Munday and Clive Ballard came to blows during a Basildon and Pitsea versus Stanford-le-Hope match at Langdon Hills Recreation Ground.

The Shepherd Neame Essex League has announced it has banned both players until the end of the 2016 season.

Mr Ballard was hospitalised and the game was abandoned after the incident on June 27.

The dispute took place within the first hour of the match between the clubs’ fourth teams.

Mr Munday was batting and Mr Ballard was fielding when a disputed umpiring decision led to a disagreement between the pair.

The argument led to a physical altercation, which resulted in the fielder being hit with a bat.

Basildon and Pitsea captain Lee Dutton claimed his player had waved the bat at his opponent in self-defence.

After an ambulance was called, the Stanford-le-Hope player was taken to hospital with cuts and bruising to his head, but was not seriously injured.

Mr Munday was arrested on suspicion of assault and questioned, but was released without charge.

He has been banned for “using obscene and abusive language and striking a fielder with a bat”, while Mr Ballard’s suspension is for “using obscene and abusive language and striking a batsman”.

The suspension will prevent the duo from playing all forms of cricket.

It’s also emerged another south Essex cricketer, Lee Stace, has been banned until the end of the 2018 season for “racially abusing an opponent repeatedly” in a separate incident during a match last month.

Mr Stace was playing for Wickford in a match against Harlow Town Cricket Club last month when the incident occurred.

The last two years of Mr Stace’s ban are suspended, meaning he will be allowed to play again in 2017.

Club secretary Alan Moss said: “Before the disciplinary hearing, the club permanently banned Lee Stace for his persistent bad behaviour.”