Lancashire pitch escapes penalty

Lancashire have escaped punishment over the state of the pitch at Blackpool for their Championship Division One match against Durham.

The game was over inside two days, and ECB pitch inspectors were summoned on day one when 18 wickets fell. The panel - Tony Pigott, Philip Sharp and Chris Wood - ruled that it was satisfactory.

Peter Marron, Lancashire's groundman, told the Press Association, that he had no worries about the pitch. "It looks as good a wicket as we have ever had here. It's rock hard, it has a good grass covering on it and it's probably the cracks at the [South End] getting a little bit bigger than in previous years that is causing bother.

"The pitch was relayed after everybody fell asleep during the Kent game [in 2003] and we have had two games against Worcestershire and Warwickshire on it since with no problems. The groundsmen here have done a fine job and we couldn't have asked for more from them." a