Somerset hit with points deduction for poor pitch against Durham in July which fell foul of ECB regulations.
Somerset handed points deduction for ‘below average’ pitch.
Due to their violation of the ECB Pitch Regulations, Somerset has lost four points in the Rothesay County Championship.
The accusation relates to the July Division One match between Somerset and Durham, where 35 wickets were lost in five sessions. Durham’s honorary president, Lord Ian Botham, charged that his previous county purposefully set up a field of play that “reduces the game to a farce”.
The Taunton pitch was later judged “below average” by match referee Simon Hink, while standing umpires Ian Blackwell and Martin Saggers noted the excessive spin on days one and two.
Every county is subject to the Pitch Regulations, which stipulate that pitches must be set up to ensure “an even contest between bat and ball, and must allow all disciplines in the game to flourish” (regulation 4.1).
The Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) has given Somerset an eight-point sentence, four of which are suspended until the end of play on the final day of the 2027 season, after the Cricket Regulator’s investigation, which included statements from both clubs’ players and coaches. Their season points total falls to 175 as a result of the instant deduction, although they are still in third place in Division One.
The tribunal recognised that the club had attempted to prepare the best possible pitch and that the “substandard pitch rating” was their first in the previous 24 months, even if the result—Stones winning by five wickets—and the spin-friendly conditions were considered aggravating factors.
Given that the hosts bowled first after winning the toss, exposing themselves to batting last when circumstances would have been at their worst, the tribunal also found it “inherently unlikely” that Somrerset purposefully constructed a substandard pitch. The voluntary actions the club has previously taken to test various soils to enhance its Taunton grounds and their cooperation during the process were also mentioned.
“Whilst we are disappointed by the outcome, we are pleased that the tribunal rejected any suggestion that the Club deliberately sought to produce a substandard wicket,” said Somerset chief executive Jamie Cox in a statement released by the club. “We would also like to thank the CDP for their clarity and transparency throughout the hearing process.
“Somerset County Cricket Club will always aspire to produce the best possible pitches which will ensure an enthralling contest between bat and ball.”