LONDON, June 16: Kent have lost their appeal against an eight-point penalty imposed for the state of the surface at Maidstone earlier this month. The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) pitch panel penalised Kent after 27 wickets fell on the first two days of the County Championship match against Gloucestershire at The Mote.

The appeal panel on Thursday upheld the pitch panel’s initial decision, who felt the surface during Kent’s seven-wicket win demonstrated “excessive seam movement”.

A statement from the ECB said: “The appeal panel upheld the decision of the pitch panel, and therefore the imposition of an eight-point penalty in respect of the ‘poor’ pitch stands.”

Kent were ordered to pay $910 costs for the hearing.

Kent chief executive Paul Millman said: “We did not take the decision to appeal lightly and we are very disappointed at the outcome.

“We accept that the pitch was damp, but weather conditions on the days leading up to the match was extremely difficult.

—AFP