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The England and Wales Cricket Board's directive on the use of young, fast bowlers is at the centre of a controversy in the Birmingham League after Walsall were handed victory over Moseley by default.

Nick Warren, a promising 16-year-old medium-fast seamer attached to Warwickshire, was the innocent victim in the dispute after he reduced Walsall to 58 for six in reply to Moseley's 98 for seven. Only seven overs were left to bowl when the umpires instructed that Warren, who had figures of 8-4-15-6, had to be rested under the mandate that precludes teenage quick bowlers from being exposed to long spells in Premier League cricket.

Malcolm Eustace, the Moseley captain, refused to comply, so the umpires called a halt and awarded Walsall the points. But Peter Davies, the Moseley secretary, said: ``It's not in the laws of cricket or the rules of the League.''

Several top bowlers have suffered back injuries thought to have been caused by excessive workloads in their early years, and the ECB directive has been drawn up to prevent damage to youngsters whose bodies are not fully developed.