Leicestershire County Cricket Club is planning to appeal a 27-point penalty imposed by the Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) after the pitch they prepared for a County Championship Division One match against Glamorgan in August was rated as "poor." The penalty includes a £5,000 fine, the loss of all 19 points from their win over Glamorgan, and an additional eight-point deduction, which has placed the club at the bottom of the table. The club has 10 days to decide whether to appeal, and chief executive Emma White confirmed they will formally launch their appeal on the morning of their final Championship game of 2026, which will be played away at title-chasing Warwickshire. The club respects the ongoing CDP process but has raised concerns about the procedures that led to the decision and the sanctioning. Leicestershire has hired specialist sports law barrister Craig Harris from Furnival Chambers to represent them, along with Oliver Laurence from Periculum Sport, who will provide expert and strategic support throughout the appeal. The panel ruled that the club did not intend for the pitch to play as it did and that this was not a case of cheating. Emma White expressed pride in the work of the grounds team, who have an outstanding record. As the club intends to appeal, White asked supporters to refrain from commenting further and to treat everyone involved with courtesy and respect. The Championship will conclude with uncertainty over which two clubs will be relegated to Division Two for 2027. Hampshire are already relegated, but Leicestershire's fate may also impact Surrey, Essex, and Glamorgan, who are all still in contention for relegation. Following Leicestershire's 42-run win against Glamorgan, which was only their second Championship victory of the season, the pitch was rated as "poor" in the match referee's report. Glamorgan's head coach, Richard Dawson, said batting conditions had been "tough," though the match produced 774 runs over four days. Match referee Ian Ramage requested an inspection by ECB pitch and grounds advisor Andy Mackay. The starting point for a "poor" pitch rating is a 16-point deduction, which was reduced to eight points due to mitigating factors, including Leicestershire's early admission that the pitch was substandard and the fact that this was the first such rating in the previous 24 months. Leicestershire's head groundsman, Callum Lewin, mentioned in an interview with the Cricket Regulator that uncontrollable circumstances, such as an unscheduled Bollywood filming event and exceptionally hot weather, contributed to the pitch being dry. A further eight-point deduction has been suspended for a year. The Foxes have been fighting throughout the summer to avoid relegation in their first season back in Division One after a 22-year absence, following their promotion as Division Two champions last September.