An ECB Pitch Panel comprising John Jameson and Phil Sharpe (ECB Pitch Liaison Officers) was convened yesterday on the second day of Derbyshire's home Frizzell County Championship Division Two match against Middlesex at the County Ground.

After interviewing the umpires, captains and coaches of both teams and the groundsman, the panel decided that the pitch had offered undue uneven bounce and undue assistance to seam bowlers throughout the first two days and therefore the pitch should be rated as 'poor'.

As a consequence, an automatic deduction of eight Championship points has been imposed on Derbyshire.

© ECB