Overview
- The Cricket Discipline Panel ruled on Wednesday that the Grace Road pitch used in the August match versus Glamorgan was 'poor' and imposed a 27-point hit plus a £5,000 fine.
- The penalty removes the 19 match points earned for the Glamorgan win, applies an eight-point sanction and suspends a further eight points for 12 months.
- Match referee Ian Ramage recorded 43 examples of uneven bounce and the regulator found moving cracks, localised collapses and ball indentations that made the surface unsafe for consistent play.
- Leicestershire told the regulator that extreme heat, prior heavy use and an unscheduled one‑day Bollywood film shoot four days before the game limited pitch preparation; the panel accepted some mitigation but judged the club’s planning unreasonable.
- The deduction drops Leicestershire to the foot of Division One and puts survival on the result of their ongoing match with Hampshire while the club considers whether to appeal within the 10 working‑day deadline.