Mark Ramprakash is suspended for swearing at umpire

The 39-year-old batsman was last week given a special award by the England Cricket Board for completing his century of first-class centuries. But now their disciplinary panel have thrown the book at him following an astonishing outburst during a championship match against Sussex in August.

Ramprakash first rowed with Sussex player Murray Goodwin. Then, when the officials stepped in, he swore at umpire John Steele.

Surrey fined the former England player £1,000. But far tougher action followed yesterday with the ECB suspending Ramprakash for the first two championship matches of next summer as well as imposing a £1,500 fine and £1,000 costs.

Ramprakash, who was captaining his county at the time, is said to have apologised "unreservedly" to the umpires. Last night's verdict, though, means that what could have been a summer of triumph for domestic cricket's best batsman has ended in double trouble.

Despite reaching 100 hundreds, and then adding three more in quick succession, Ramprakash could not prevent Surrey from being relegated to the championship's second division. And now he will not be able to help them make a flying start to next season - his last at The Oval unless a new contract is agreed beyond 2009.

Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright, meanwhile, has insisted that November's £10million winner-takes-all match in Antigua will be bottom of England's 12-month agenda.

Wright, along with the rest of Kevin Pietersen's team, stands to win £500,000 for beating the Stanford Superstars in a Twenty20 match. But with Test and one-day tours of India and the West Indies this winter, followed by the Twenty20 World Cup and an Ashes Series next summer, there are plenty more prizes on offer.

"Yes, this is a big game and everyone is talking about it but in a cricketing context it's the lowest on the list," said Wright.