Middlesex look to worm their way out of relegation

Somerset threatens legal action if Middlesex points loss is overturned.

Elizabeth Ammon.

The Times.

Friday, 13 October 2017.

PTG 2275-11515.

Somerset will take legal action against the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) should the governing body reverse its decision to deduct points from Middlesex and thereby save the 2016 champions from relegation.  The ECB confirmed on Wednesday that it would consider Middlesex’s appeal against a two-point deduction because of a slow over rate in their match with Surrey, which was abandoned on the final day after a crossbow bolt was fired on to the pitch (PTG 2273-11502, 12 October 2017). 

Lee Cooper, the Somerset chief executive, told county members that they had been assured by the ECB that it was hearing Middlesex’s appeal because “they need to be seen to be going through a process”, but he was concerned about the potential outcome.  Middlesex had been told that there was no appeal process (PTG 2244-11361, 10 September 2017), but the ECB has referred the case to the Cricket Discipline Commission, which is chaired by Tim O’Gorman. The former Derbyshire batsman looked at the case yesterday, but has not decided whether to convene a panel or make the decision himself.

Cooper told members during a question and answer session on Thursday that, in his view, any decision to overturn the points deduction would be “bringing the game into disrepute”. “The implications of overturning the decision are significant — we would be relegated”, he said. “Having fought so hard to survive, a relegation would be unfair. The decision was made and because of that, ours and other teams’ tactics were determined by what we needed to do to stay in Division One”.  Somerset have confirmed that they are preparing a legal case should the points deduction be reversed.

ECB to consider Middlesex points deduction appeal.

BBC Radio,

Wednesday, 11 October 2017.

PTG 2273-11502.

Middlesex's appeal over their two-point deduction, which effectively resulted in their relegation, will be considered by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) (PTG 2263-11454, 30 September 2017).  The punishment came for a slow over-rate during August's Division One match at Surrey, which was abandoned when a crossbow bolt was fired into The Oval.  The appeal has been referred to the chairman of the ECB's discipline commission, Tim O'Gorman, who is considering his response. A decision could be made next week.

Middlesex were relegated from the top tier by one point after losing their final match of the season to Somerset, who leapfrogged the 2016 champions with victory at Taunton to seal their own survival.  The crossbow incident at The Oval meant Middlesex, who have confirmed they have "made submissions to the chairman of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission over the issue", were denied the chance to improve their over-rate in the remainder of the final session.

After the points deduction was announced in early September, Middlesex chief executive Richard Goatley said there was "no scope" for an appeal, despite the fact he was "extremely disappointed" by the decision (PTG 2244-11361, 10 September 2017). A day after their relegation, managing director of cricket Angus Fraser told BBC Radio London they would raise the circumstances of the deduction with the ECB.

Meanwhile...

Somerset are preparing to take legal action against the England and Wales Cricket Board should Middlesex's appeal over a points deduction be successful.

A decision on Middlesex's appeal could be made by the ECB next week.

Relegated Middlesex request ECB hearing over ‘crossbow’ penalty.

Elizabeth Ammon.

The Times.

Saturday, 30 September 2017.

PTG 2263-11454.

Middlesex have requested a hearing with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in an attempt to reverse their relegation from the County Championship’s top tier.  The county are angry at the two-point penalty they incurred for a slow over rate during their draw with Surrey at the The Oval last month. That match ended prematurely for safety reasons when a crossbow bolt was fired on to the square from outside the ground (PTG 2238-11329, 4 September 2017).  Middlesex eventually finished the season second-last on the table with 147 points, one behind Somerset and two behind both Yorkshire and Hampshire.

Middlesex were batting when the match was abandoned but say they had intended to declare and then bowl enough overs to avoid any slow over-rate penalty. They claim there was a verbal agreement between James Franklin, the captain, and Paul Baldwin, who together with Michael Gough umpired the game, that there would be no penalty imposed in relation to the over rate. It is understood, however, that the umpires’ end-of-match report contained no mention of the circumstances that led to the ECB imposing a two-point penalty, one point being deducted for each over that is behind the required rate.

Immediately after the deduction was announced five days later, Middlesex chief executive Richard Goatley said they had discussed with the ECB the unique circumstances surrounding the abandonment (PTG 2244-11361, 10 September 2017).  But he added: "We have been advised that since the ECB has chosen to follow the published playing conditions in this instance, there is no scope for any further appeal”.  A 35-year-old man was arrested following the incident but released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Middlesex now want a hearing to allow captain Franklin to give his version, something they say he was not asked to do after the umpires’ match report was submitted.  Last year’s champions are also furious about the state of the Taunton pitch this week, when their 231-run defeat by Somerset led to them being demoted by one point (PTG 2259-11437, 26 September 2017) .  But any hope of Somerset being penalised appeared to end on Friday when the ECB declared that there would be no pitch-related sanction for Somerset.

Angus Fraser, the Middlesex director of cricket, told the 'Evening Standard': “It’s disgraceful what Somerset did. I’ve never seen such a doctored pitch. The intent was there, so the combination of a below-average pitch and intent, that changes things. There are guidelines to produce the best possible pitch” (PTG 2090-10582, 30 March 2017).  Asked about the  arrow-related abandonment at The Oval, Fraser said: “The police abandoned that match and we were told, ‘Don’t worry, you won’t lose your points’, but then we found out we had. We’ve since made representations against that. I know they look like excuses, but these are reasons for our relegation, even though we haven’t played well enough”.