Umpires chris watts

Vitality County Championship Division Two: Gloucestershire escaped punishment for an alleged breach of pitch regulations following the abandonment of their Vitality County Championship Division Two match against Northamptonshire. The Cricket Regulator announced that no charges would be brought against the club, despite concerns over player safety on the hybrid pitch at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.

The match, which took place at the end of August, was called off after just 65.1 overs on the first day. Umpires Chris Watts and Sue Redfern halted play in the final session, citing a "foreseeable risk" to batters due to the uneven and dangerous bounce of the pitch. Two Northamptonshire batters, Ricardo Vasconcelos and Rob Keogh, were forced to retire hurt after being struck by deliveries from Gloucestershire pacer Ajeet Singh Dale. Vasconcelos suffered a fractured finger.

The umpires' decision to abandon the game awarded Northamptonshire 11 points while Gloucestershire received none.