Leicestershire hit with 27-point deduction over pitch damage

Leicestershire face the prospect of relegation after being handed a 27-point deduction over the substandard condition of their pitch. The sanction drops the county to the bottom of the Division One standings, though the club has until 29 September to appeal.

While Leicestershire defeated Glamorgan on 20 August, the match referee noted 43 instances of unpredictable bounce caused by cracks in the surface. Regulators subsequently declared the Grace Road pitch below required standards, stripping the 19 points gained from the victory and adding an eight-point penalty.

Leicestershire's head groundsman Callum Lewin argued that extreme heat of 35 degrees Celsius and a Bollywood film shoot four days before the match hampered preparations. The regulatory authority rejected the defence, stating that risk management should have envisaged the need to protect the pitch during the filming.