Kent consider appeal after losing eight points

Kent are considering an appeal after an ECB pitch panel docked eight points from their championship total for providing a poor pitch for their match against Gloucestershire at Maidstone this week.

The pitch liaison officers, Tony Pigott and David Hughes, interviewed the umpires, captains and coaches of both teams, as well as the groundsman before deciding that the pitch was poor. It was felt that the pitch offered excessive seam movement - 18 wickets fell on the second day - and the points were automatically deducted as a consequence.

"This decision has come as a hell of a shock,'' Kent's chief executive, Paul Millman, told Sky Sports News. "The pitch liaison officer did a very thorough job of talking to everyone involved and [docking points] is their outcome. We'll give it due consideration today in the cold light of day and decide whether we're going to appeal against the decision.''

Kent, who have fallen three places down the table after the announcement and are now third-from-bottom, have 24 hours in which to launch an appeal.