SOMERSET have avoided a County Championship points deduction over the pitch prepared against Lancashire in Taunton last week - but they have been warned they are "treading a very fine line".

The match ended inside two days, with 22 wickets falling on the opening day, as Somerset tied a Championship match for the first time since 1939 after failing to chase down 78.

The pitch has been marked "below average", but the club have avoided a breach of ECB pitch regulations and therefore are not faced with any further penalty.

The ECB statement reads: "All parties [including both umpires, both coaches, both captains two CLOs and an ECB pitch consultant] agreed that the pitch was under prepared.

"There were various explanations for this and, while the reasons given by Somerset may be regarded as satisfactory, the fact is that they cannot be considered any more than that.

“The Somerset groundsman stated that he sought to prepare the best possible pitch, but heavy rain cost a day of preparation time.

“Some of the factors which might indicate intent in the way the pitch was prepared were absent. This is significant. These would include over-aggressive scarification of the ends to accentuate wear, or used of a sand ameliorant to enhance friction/grip. 

“There was no evidence that this had occurred. This lack of evidence means that the CDC cannot, on balance, direct ECB to charge Somerset CCC with a breach of regulation.

“However, CDC notes Somerset’s practice of preparing pitches to suit their spinners. This may be regarded as making use of home advantage and CDC notes that ECB are keen to support opportunities for all disciplines in the game.

“However, they (the club) must take care it is in the right degree. They are treading a very fine line. Somerset CCC’s pitch preparation will continue to be monitored very closely.

“The club should expect any proven breach of ECB’s pitch regulations in future to result in a points deduction.”

Somerset chief executive Andrew Cornish told the club website:  “Whilst we accept the findings of the CDC into the pitch against Lancashire we feel it is critical to note that there is no evidence to suggest that there was any intention to alter the state of the pitch in any way.

“Head groundsman Simon Lee and his team do an outstanding job in ensuring that pitches here at the Cooper Associates County Ground are prepared to the highest possible standard and they will always continue to do so.

“Obviously we are pleased that there will be no points deduction but we were confident that this would be the case. We now look forward to our home match against Surrey next week.”

The lack of a points deduction leaves Somerset on course to finish second in the County Championship, equalling their best ever finish in the competition.