Filming connected to Sourav Ganguly’s upcoming biopic became an unusual element in a disciplinary case against Leicestershire after an unscheduled Bollywood production at Grace Road was cited among the circumstances affecting preparations for a County Championship pitch subsequently rated poor.
The filming took place four days before Leicestershire’s August 20-23 match against Glamorgan, which the hosts won by 42 runs. The Cricket Discipline Panel ultimately upheld the Cricket Regulator’s charge over the surface, removing the 19 points Leicestershire earned from the victory and imposing a further eight-point deduction.
Leicestershire were also fined £5,000, while another eight-point deduction has been suspended until the end of the 2027 season.
Grace Road preparations come under scrutiny
The disciplinary proceedings examined the circumstances surrounding preparation of the surface before Glamorgan’s visit. Grace Road Head Groundsman Callum Lewin told the Cricket Regulator: “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 being 35 degrees.”
The Bollywood production was another factor raised during the proceedings. Lewin added: “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.”
The filming was connected to the biopic of former India Captain Sourav Ganguly, with actor Rajkummar Rao set to portray Ganguly.
The Cricket Discipline Panel did not accept the filming as a mitigating factor, noting that activity at Grace Road lasted for only one day. It also concluded that Leicestershire had not intentionally prepared a poor surface, but found the club’s approach to its preparation unreasonable.
Uneven bounce documented during Glamorgan match
Conditions during the match formed a central part of the case. The surface produced uneven bounce associated with moving cracks, with Match Referee Ian Ramage recording 43 examples of uneven bounce in his match log.
Leicestershire nevertheless won the fixture by 42 runs and collected 19 points. Those points were subsequently removed as part of the disciplinary outcome, with the additional immediate eight-point deduction increasing the competitive consequences for the club.
The decision has added further pressure to Leicestershire’s position in Division One. The club had 89 points from 12 matches and faces Hampshire as it seeks to remain in the top tier.
Leicestershire considers its options
Leicestershire has 10 working days to appeal the Cricket Discipline Panel’s decision and is assessing its position following the sanctions.
Setting out the penalties in its statement, the club said: “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 pounds.”
No decision on the club’s next move has yet been confirmed. Leicestershire added: “Having received the Panel’s decision, the Club is reviewing its position and considering all available options.”
The disciplinary outcome leaves Leicestershire balancing the possibility of an appeal with its immediate battle to preserve its Division One status, after a case in which preparations for the Glamorgan fixture brought together extreme heat, a previously used surface and an unexpected connection to the Ganguly biopic.
