Leicestershire docked 27 points after panel rejects Ganguly biopic filming defence over Grace Road pitch

Leicestershire were penalised after a Cricket Discipline Panel on September 17, 2026 upheld a charge that the pitch at Grace Road used for their County Championship match against Glamorgan from August 20 to 23 was poor, resulting in the loss of the 19 points from their 42-run victory and an additional eight-point sanction, and a £5,000 fine.

The county had argued that several factors outside the groundsman's control contributed to the surface issues, including a one-day Bollywood filming event at Grace Road four days before the match; the Cricket Discipline Panel considered that explanation but rejected it as a mitigating factor and found the pitch to be in breach of regulations.

The panel upheld the Cricket Regulator's charge of preparing a "poor pitch" and recorded that the playing surface produced uneven bounce created by "moving cracks." Match referee Ian Ramage documented 43 instances of uneven bounce in his match log during the fixture.

The disciplinary ruling removed the 19 points Leicestershire earned for a 42-run win and imposed a further eight-point penalty; the club was also fined £5,000. The panel said it did not find the county had deliberately prepared a poor pitch but described the club's approach to preparing the surface as "unreasonable."

Leicestershire head groundsman Callum Lewin told the Cricket Regulator that the surface had been affected by prior use and weather and that he had been prevented from working on the pitch after the filming. "It's a used pitch this time around. We had two T20s on it 10 weeks ago. There were a lot of circumstances leading up to the game that were just out of my control, such as the weather was 35 degrees. "We also had an unscheduled Bollywood filming event four days before (the match against Glamorgan), and I wasn't allowed to work on the pitch. I wasn't allowed to cover it or anything," Lewin said.

The Club issued a statement saying it was reviewing the decision. "The Club notes the Cricket Discipline Panel's decision, which imposes an eight-point deduction, an additional eight-point deduction suspended until the end of the 2027 season, and a financial penalty of £5,000. "Having received the Panel's decision, the Club is reviewing its position and considering all available options," the club said. The county have 10 days to lodge an appeal against the verdict.

The penalty has immediate competition implications: Leicestershire have 89 points from 12 matches and need to beat Hampshire in their ongoing Division One match to remain in the top tier, and the sanctions have left them in danger of relegation from Division One.