Leicestershire County Cricket Club faces a significant 27-point deduction and a £5,000 fine after its pitch was deemed ‘poor’ during a match against Glamorgan, with the head groundsman citing an unexpected Bollywood film shoot and extreme heat as contributing factors.
IMAGE: Leicestershire, who have won only two of their 12 matches so far and drawn six, were also fined £5,000 ($6,700) and given an additional eight-point deduction suspended until the end of the 2027 season. Photograph: Leicestershire County Cricket Club/Instagram
Key Points
- Leicestershire County Cricket Club has been docked 27 points and fined £5,000 by the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) due to a ‘poor’ pitch during a recent match against Glamorgan.
- The club’s head groundsman, Callum Lewin, attributed the pitch’s condition to a combination of scorching 35-degree Celsius weather and an unscheduled Bollywood filming event four days before the match.
- The penalty includes forfeiting 19 points from their win against Glamorgan and an additional eight-point sanction, placing Leicestershire at the bottom of the table.
- An additional eight-point deduction has been suspended until the end of the 2027 season, contingent on future pitch conditions.
Leicestershire have been docked 27 points over the state of the pitch during a match against Glamorgan last month, with the county side’s head groundsman blaming the playing conditions on a Bollywood shoot and scorching weather.
Leicestershire beat the visitors by 42 runs at Grace Road but the match referee rated the pitch as “poor” in his report.
Groundsman Cites Unforeseen Circumstances
Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson said the uneven bounce had led to batters being hit.
After a formal hearing, the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) ordered Leicestershire on Wednesday to forfeit the 19 points for the win and handed them an eight-point sanction, leaving them at the bottom of the table.
“There was a lot of circumstances leading up to the game that were just out of my control,” head groundsman Callum Lewin said, according to a judgement document released by the CDP. “The weather was 35 degrees (Celsius) and we had an unscheduled Bollywood filming event four days before. I wasn’t allowed to work on the pitch. I wasn’t allowed to cover it or anything.”
Club Fined and Future Sanctions
Leicestershire, who have won only two of their 12 matches so far and drawn six, were also fined £5,000 ($6,700) and given an additional eight-point deduction suspended until the end of the 2027 season.
“Having received the panel’s decision, the club is reviewing its position and considering all available options,” Leicestershire said in a statement.
