Sussex handed points deduction following conduct breaches during Championship win over Leicestershire

Captain Cheteshwar Pujara has been handed an automatic one-match suspension after the club accumulated four fixed penalties for the 2023 campaign. Ari Karvelas, Tom Haines and Jack Carson will also not feature against Derbyshire

Sussex will be without a number of key players for their County Championship Division Two clash with Derbyshire (September 19-22) after breaching the ECB's professional conduct regulations during last week's meeting with Leicestershire.

The club had already received two fixed penalties in the competition in 2023 and were handed two more against Leicestershire, resulting in an automatic 12-point deduction in the County Championship and a one-match suspension for captain Cheteshwar Pujara.

The deduction leaves Sussex in fifth place in Division Two, 30 points behind second-placed Worcestershire with two matches remaining.

Tom Alsop will captain the side in Pujara's absence.

^{The sanctions relate to last week's meeting with Leicestershire [Steve Bardens/Getty Images]}

Head coach Paul Farbrace, who could be seen talking to umpires Ben Debenham and Paul Baldwin following his side's tight 15-run win over Leicestershire, has opted against selecting Tom Haines and Jack Carson for the Derbyshire clash as punishment for their conduct.

Bowler Ari Karvelas will remain unavailable until an investigation into an incident which occurred during the Leicestershire game has been concluded.

Farbrace said: "We have made Jack and Tom unavailable for selection for this game at Derbyshire. Following the umpires and match referee's decision to charge both players with on field level one and level two offences, we needed to take a stance, and show them we will not condone such behaviours.

"Ultimately it has cost us the availability of Cheteshwar and we have been deducted 12 points.

"We have also decided it is not appropriate for Ari Karvelas to be made available for selection until the investigation that is in place has been concluded.

"It is a great shame that these incidents have tarnished what was a fantastic game against Leicestershire, and all the hard work that has gone into the season. I am disappointed for our fantastic members and supporters and can assure them we will be working hard to make sure we are not in this position again."

^{Tom Haines (left) and Jack Carson (centre) have not been selected for the Derbyshire match while Ari Karvelas (right) is unavailable due to an ongoing investigation [Mike Hewitt/Stu Forster/Getty Images]}

Both Carson and Haines have issued apologies for their actions.

"In the heat of the battle during the previous match against Leicestershire my desperation to compete and ultimately win the game resulted in me crossing the line in what is deemed acceptable within the spirit of cricket.

"I would like to apologise to my teammates and to all our Sussex supporters for my actions during the game. I plan to learn from the experience and conduct myself in the correct manner without losing my fierce determination to compete in all fixtures while representing the club," said Carson.

Haines added: "I'd like to apologise to all Sussex supporters for overstepping the mark with regards to discipline on the field. It came out of pure passion to compete and help the team win the game. This is something I will learn from and channel better in future games for Sussex."