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English County Championship side Leicestershire faces a significant relegation battle after receiving a massive 27-point penalty following a substandard match pitch at Grace Road.<\/strong><\/p>\n The team was accused of damaging the pitch after an unplanned shoot for veteran India skipper Sourav Ganguly\u2019s upcoming biopic Dada. An investigation by the Cricket Discipline Panel said Leicestershire prepared a \u201cpoor\u201d pitch for their County Championship match against Glamorgan, reports IANS.<\/p>\n During the proceedings, Leicestershire explained that an unannounced Bollywood film shoot- reportedly for Ganguly\u2019s biopic Dada, starring Rajkummar Rao- took place on the ground just four days before the game.<\/p>\n The eight-hour shoot in extreme heat meant ground staff could not cover the pitch, which ruined its quality. The regulators recognized the shoot as a mitigating factor, but it was not a complete explanation; the panel found that the club\u2019s preparation was substandard.<\/p>\n The Cricket Discipline Panel handed Leicestershire an immediate penalty, with the club losing all 19 points earned from a victory over Glamorgan, as well as a further 8 points from the club\u2019s total this season and a 5,000 (about Dh24,500) fine.<\/p>\n They also lost a further 8 points, which is suspended until the end of the 2027 season.<\/p>\n The 27-point penalty made the club\u2019s current total zero, ranking them at the bottom of Division One and risking relegation.<\/p>\n Referee Ian Ramage recorded 43 instances of uneven bounce in the Glamorgan match, with the match report citing multiple uneven spots on the Grace Road pitch. These included severe localized depressions and hollows from ball impacts, bounce unpredictable for expanding cracks, and large, uneven patches of grass across the length of the surface.<\/p>\n Though it was confirmed that Leicestershire did not intentionally prepare the surface, it was found that it acted unreasonably in allowing commercial filming on the field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n