The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf has reported that Quick Haag has lodged an appeal with the KNCB against their relegation from the Topklasse at the expense of promoted club Dosti Amsterdam.

The protest reportedly relates to two Dosti players, Hamid Rana and Afzal Ahmed, whom Quick claims were ineligible to take part in the Dutch competition. Neither player, it is alleged in the paper’s report, had a Dutch passport – not in itself a requirement – and both were playing under other names in an English competition last season.

Rana and Afzal were missing from the Dosti side which played in the first of the best-of-three play-off series against Quick, which was played on a Saturday, but had a significant role in the two following matches, both of which took place on Sundays and were won by Dosti.

Rana, in particular, proved the difference between the two sides, making an undefeated 75 in the second game and 106 in the third.

Quick is reported to have brought in an investigation agency to pursue their suspicions, and have lodged their appeal on the basis of its findings.

In a statement issued on Thursday and made available to CricketEurope on Friday, Quick declares that from an extensive investigation 'it became irrefutably evident that Dosti, in two of the three relegation matches against Quick, included two players who do not have Dutch nationality and must be classed as 'foreigners' in terms of article 2:4 of the KNCB Wedstrijdreglement 2010.

'Quick takes the view that if the Bond did not give permission for these players to participate in Dosti's matches, then both players - quite evidently - had no right to play in the relevant matches against Quick.

'Quick, which is characterised by a leading youth section and teams composed of players the club has itself developed, is shocked by this course of events, and has requested the KNCB, in the light of its regulations, to reverse the relegation decision.'

The matter is now before the Bond’s Discipline Committee – the chairman of which is, coincidentally, Dosti chairman Shyam Tewarie. He will, naturally, take no part in the consideration of the case, which will presumably be dealt with early in the New Year.