Red Rose get suspended points penalty after breaches of discipline

LANCASHIRE face a points deduction if their players receive two fixed penalties next season.

The Red Rose have pleaded guilty to a Cricket Discipline Commission charge after they were handed five fixed penalties last season.

Liam Livingstone was given two - one for ‘wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match’ against Durham in the Vitality Blast and another for ‘using language or gesture to another player, umpire, team official or spectator that is obscene or of a serious insulting nature’ during the same match on September 18.

Alex Davies was penalised for mistreating part of the ground or equipment during the Championship match against Northamptonshire on April 15.

While Luke Wells and Tom Bailey were guilty of the same offence in the Championship match against Glamorgan in June and Somerset in September respectively.

As the county recorded five fixed penalty offences in less than 12 months, the club are now facing being deducted either 12 points in the Championship, or two in the Royal London Cup or Vitality Blast if they collect two more fixed penalties in the next 12 months.

Dane Vilas - who was captain of the side in all five instances – also faces a one-match suspension if a player under his charge in a match collects one more fixed penalty.

“This is something that the players are taking very seriously, and on behalf of the squad, I would like to apologise for the charges that have been brought against the club,” said Vilas.

“We are proud to represent the Red Rose and remain fully aware of the standards we must uphold. Over the course of the winter, we will re-iterate this message to the whole group to improve our on-field discipline.”

The CDC recognised Lancashire’s previous good track record over a long period of time before these charges.