Hampshire U-turn on Kuggeleijn signing after fan backlash

Hampshire have announced that the New Zealand allrounder Scott Kuggeleijn will not play for them after his signing drew significant backlash, citing "feedback from our staff and supporters".

Kuggeleijn, 34, was accused of rape and indecent assault in 2015. He was found not guilty two years later after an initial trial delivered a hung jury. He has played 23 times for New Zealand across formats and was due to play Hampshire's final four County Championship matches as an overseas player.

Kuggeleijn's subsequent selection for New Zealand sparked protests from some supporters due to details of the trial. It was revealed that he had sent the complainant a text message to apologise for being "pretty persistent", for example, and he said in court that the complainant "might have said, 'no, no' a few times" on the night in question.

Hampshire announced Kuggeleijn's signing on Tuesday on their website, though did not post about it on social media or distribute a press release. His inclusion in their squad to face Warwickshire was heavily criticised on social media, and the club announced a U-turn shortly before the toss on Wednesday morning.

"Having reflected and listened to feedback from our staff and supporters, Hampshire Cricket can confirm that Scott Kuggeleijn will not represent the club," Hampshire said in a statement. "We value the passion of our fanbase and thank everyone who took the time to share their views.

"Our focus now turns to supporting the team through the final four County Championship fixtures of the season. We encourage everyone to unite behind the team as we enter a crucial stage of the campaign."

Hampshire have not yet confirmed whether Kuggeleijn remains under contract or if his deal has been cancelled altogether.

Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98