Kingston Bagpuize captain Dave Pearce says his club have been harshly punished following The Oxford Times Cherwell League's disciplinary hearing on Tuesday into a clash between Rob Keates and Wolverton’s Hakim Khan.

The final Division 3 match of the season on Saturday, September 5 had to be temporarily halted following a flare-up between the two players.

Wolverton batsman Khan was alleged to have thrown punches at Keates following remarks made when he was dismissed.

Keates was banned for eight weeks, with four suspended, while his skipper Pearce received a suspended six-week ban.

Bagpuize were docked 25 points and handed a suspended £100 fine.

Khan was banned for three years, two of which were suspended, and his captain, Andy Gosling, was banned for six weeks, four of which were suspended.

Wolverton were docked 50 points and handed a £200 suspended fine.

The points deductions will apply to the 2010 league campaign.

“Basically, the club and our player have been hammered for one swear word,” said Pearce, who said that the only charge against them was one of swearing.

“If the league are now going to clamp down on swearing, and players learn from this, it will be a good thing for cricket.

“But I doubt if that will happen, and feel we have been harshly treated.

“If the Wolverton player had not reacted in the way that he did, we would not have been punished at all. I thought he would have received more than what is in effect a one-year ban.

“When you compare the two charges it seems unfair that we've been docked 25 points and Woverton only 50.”

Pearce, who revealed he would not be standing as captain next season, said that Kingston were considering whether to appeal against the punishments.

Wolverton chairman Roger Garrini said the club did not have any comment to make at this stage.