It’s a bizarre twist in County Cricket: a Bollywood film shoot has put a top-tier club in serious danger. Leicestershire have been slapped with a 27-point penalty and a £5,000 fine (roughly Rs 6.43 lakh) by the Cricket Discipline Panel. The charge? Breaching pitch regulations during their August clash with Glamorgan.
Head groundsman Callum Lewin pointed to a perfect storm of bad luck. He cited 35-degree heat and, crucially, an "unscheduled" filming event for Sourav Ganguly’s biopic at Grace Road just four days before the match. "I wasn't allowed to work on the pitch or cover it," Lewin told the regulator. But the panel wasn’t buying it. They noted the shoot lasted only one day and deemed Leicestershire’s pitch preparation "unreasonable."
The data backs up the panel’s harsh verdict. Match referee Ian Ramage recorded 43 examples of uneven bounce caused by moving cracks. Because the pitch was rated "poor," Leicestershire lost the 19 points they had earned from their 42-run win over Glamorgan. To make matters worse, an extra eight-point deduction is suspended until the end of the 2027 season.
This isn’t just a financial hit; it’s an existential threat. With 89 points from 12 matches, the club is fighting a relegation war. They have 10 working days to appeal, but for now, the priority is on-track.
Leicestershire are currently locked in an ongoing Division One match against Hampshire. To keep their top-tier status alive, they need a strong result here. No more excuses.