Essex penalised 12 points for using the ‘wide bat’

In April, during Essex’s match against Nottinghamshire, Feroze Khushi batted in the second innings, but the bat’s dimensions were not verified on the pitch. Essex prevailed with a 254-run score.

Even though Khushi scored 20 points in the game, Essex lost 12 of those points because to his wider-than-permitted bat. Due to the points deduction, Essex is now 56 points behind Division One leaders Surrey with two games remaining in the current round of games.

Although the suspension was anticipated for the majority of the season, the Chelmsford club has formally accepted it. But there’s also resentment going on behind the scenes. Keith Fletcher, the current president of the club and a former captain of Essex and England, told The Times that the decision was “absolutely stupid.”

The issue arose on April 6 during the second innings of Essex’s opening Championship game against Nottinghamshire. Khushi, 21, was disqualified when the on-field umpires, Steve O’Shaughnessy and Tom Lungley, found that his bat was lodged in their measurement gauge.

“Essex CCC regrets the outcome and, although disappointed with the appeal decision and subsequent sanctions, accepts the charges of the CDC panel,” a club statement stated.

“Going forward, the club is still totally dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the game and making sure that all applicable laws are strictly followed.

Essex leads Surrey by 56 points with two rounds remaining, including what should have been a pivotal final-round encounter between the two teams at Chelmsford.

Despite winning the match by a margin of 254 runs. They did, however, lose 12 of the 20 points they were awarded for that game. Essex lodged an appeal when the Cricket Regulator first raised the issue. In a 31-page decision, the CDC claimed that a few of the gauges used to assess Khushi’s bat “did not comply precisely with the specifications”.

“In light of the concerns raised during the appeal, the club will be writing to the CDC, Cricket Regulator and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to formally highlight the matters which arose during the process, such as those raised by the club in relation to the bat gauges. “Essex CCC expects that by bringing attention to these issues, future regulatory procedures would be more equitable and transparent and inconsistencies will be addressed.”

“We appealed the initial judgement and it was supported by the cricket regulator, but the initial decision was upheld,” said Essex chairman Anu Mohindru KC.

No other bat has been examined since then. My problem is that the testing equipment isn’t industry standard. Although I don’t think we passed the final test and I don’t have any issues with the match referee or umpires, it is unfair to use various gauges on the same pitch. In this case, I would want to believe that we are not being singled out.”