Leicestershire County Cricket Club faces the prospect of relegation after being handed a 27-point deduction for the substandard condition of their pitch. The sanction places the county at the bottom of the Division One standings.
The club was stripped of 19 points gained from their 20 August victory against Glamorgan, with an additional eight-point penalty applied. This followed a match referee noting 43 instances of unpredictable bounce caused by cracks in the surface, leading regulators to declare the Grace Road pitch below required standards.
Head groundsman Callum Lewin attributed the pitch issues to extreme heat and an unscheduled Bollywood film shoot four days before the Glamorgan match. He stated he was not allowed to work on or cover the pitch during the filming, which reportedly concerned a biopic about former India captain Sourav Ganguly.
However, the regulatory authority rejected this defence, stating that filming occupied only one day and that the club was ultimately responsible for protective measures. A further eight-point deduction remains suspended until the end of the season for any subsequent pitch breaches. Leicestershire has until 29 September to appeal the decision.