Leicestershire to appeal against 27-point penalty

Leicestershire are to appeal against the decision to deduct them 27 points for the pitch they prepared for the County Championship Division One match against Glamorgan in August.

The penalty imposed by the independent Cricket Discipline Panel midway through their penultimate match of the season consisted of a £5,000 fine, the loss of all 19 points earned in the win over Glamorgan and an extra eight-point penalty, which dropped them to the bottom of the table.

They were given 10 days to decide whether to appeal - and chief executive Emma White has now confirmed they will do that, on the morning of their final Championship game of 2026, away to title-chasing Warwickshire.

"The club respects the Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) process, which is ongoing," she said in a statement.

"However, we have serious concerns about the process that resulted in the panel's decision on the charge and the sanctioning procedure. I can confirm that the club will be appealing.

"The club has instructed specialist sports law barrister Craig Harris of Furnival Chambers to advise and represent us, and Oliver Laurence of Periculum Sport to provide independent expert and strategic support throughout the appeal.

"The panel itself found that the club did not intend the pitch to play as it did and that this was not a case of cheating. Our grounds team has an outstanding record, and I am proud of the work they do.

"As we intend to appeal, it would not be appropriate for the club to comment further at this stage.

"I would ask all supporters to do the same, and to treat everyone involved, including players and staff from other counties, and those involved with administering this process, with courtesy and respect, both at the ground and online."

It means that the Championship will conclude this Sunday with uncertainty over which two clubs will drop into Division Two for 2027.

Hampshire are already relegated - but the Foxes' fate may also impact Surrey, who visit another of three title-chasing sides Somerset, as well as Essex and Glamorgan, who meet in Cardiff.

Following the Foxes' 42-run win against Glamorgan, only their second Championship victory of the season, the pitch was rated as "poor" in match referee Ian Ramage's report.

Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson said batting conditions had been "tough", although there were 774 runs in the match, which lasted all four scheduled days .

Referee Ramage asked for the ECB's pitch and grounds advisor Andy Mackay to carry out a post-match inspection.

The starting point for punishment for a pitch rated as "poor" is a 16-point deduction.

This was reduced to eight points at the tribunal because of several mitigating factors.

Among them were Leicestershire's "early admission that the pitch was substandard" and this being the "first rating of below average, poor or unfit" in the previous 24 months.

In his interview with the Cricket Regulator before the tribunal hearing, Leicestershire head groundsman Callum Lewin said there were "circumstances leading up to the game that were just out of my control".

They included an "unscheduled Bollywood filming event" taking place at the Foxes' Uptonsteel Grace Road home four days before the start of the match.

The exceptionally hot weather was also a reason for the pitch being dry.

A further eight-point deduction has been suspended for a year.

The Foxes have faced a summer-long battle to avoid the drop in their first summer back in Division One after a 22-year exile, having won their first promotion as Division Two title winners last September.