Sussex face the threat of being docked Championship points after the ECB threw the book at their bowler Mitch Claydon for ball-tampering. The Australian-born Claydon was banned for a staggering nine matches for putting hand sanitiser on the ball during Sussex's Bob Willis Trophy match against Middlesex at Radlett in August. And the ECB have now charged Sussex with breaching their directives, leaving them to face a Cricket Discipline Commission hearing which could penalise them 12 points to be carried forward to next season. The ECB were also determined to act strongly in the climate created by the Australian sandpaper-gate scandal of 2018 which saw severe penalties handed out to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. Despite Claydon's insistence that he did not attempt to alter the condition of the ball Sussex banned him for six matches and the ECB have added a further three, starting with Thursday's Twenty20 Blast defeat by Lancashire at Hove.

Source: Daily Mail October 01, 2020 18:47 UTC