LONDON, June 4: Kent have appealed against an eight-point penalty imposed over the state of their pitch during a match this week. The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) pitch panel imposed the penalty after Kent’s match against Gloucestershire at Maidstone.

The pitch came under scrutiny after 27 wickets fell on the first two days of the County Championship match.

Kent’s 18-point haul will be cut to 10 if the ECB penalty stands, but Kent have indicated their intention to challenge the sanction.

A statement from the club read: “Kent County Cricket Club has confirmed that it will be lodging an appeal with the ECB in a bid to overturn the decision made by the Pitch Inspection Panel that the wicket prepared for the Kent v Gloucester match at Maidstone was unsatisfactory.”

The decision was taken after chief executive Paul Millman met with other club officials following the club’s seven-wicket win.

Millman expressed his sympathy for groundsman Tony Saunders and insisted the problem of looking after surfaces was a common one across the country at this time of year.

“Tony is under a lot of pressure. The conditions for preparing cricket grounds anywhere at this time of year - whether it’s a county ground or an out ground — are very difficult,” he said.

Friday’s scores: