Sussex deducted 24 points after Mitchell Claydon ball-tampering

The seamer applied hand sanitiser to the ball during the Bob Willis Trophy match against Middlesex and was banned for nine matches as a result

• Claydon handed nine-match ban

Sussex have been hit with a deduction of 24 points after seamer Mitchell Claydon was found guilty of ball-tampering.

Thirty-seven-year-old was adjudged to have applied hand sanitiser to the ball during the Bob Willis Trophy defeat to Middlesex at Radlett in August.

Claydon was handed a nine-game ban by the Cricket Discipline Commission, who have now concluded their case against the Hove club.

Accused of having breached ECB Directives 3.3 and 3.7, Sussex have been deducted the maximum number of points available for the match after accepting the charges.

The panel were also happy there were no "aggravating factors in the circumstances of this case", ruling out any further punishment.

"The level of sanction in this case should fall at the lower end in terms of culpability, which it has already assessed as the maximum points available for the match," read the written reasons.

The penalty will only apply for the 2020 season and will have no baring on next term.

Sussex claimed just five points from the five-wicket defeat, but have seen their total reduced from 36 to just 12 points. It keeps them rooted to the bottom of the South Group.

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