Overview

• The County Championship match at Taunton saw 35 wickets fall in five sessions as Somerset secured a five-wicket win over Durham.
• Match referee Simon Hinks rated the Cooper Associates Ground surface below average, prompting the England cricket regulator to open a formal investigation.
• The probe puts the 19 points Somerset earned from the match at risk of deduction under regulatory standards.
• Criticism of the wicket’s fairness has come from ex-Somerset star Ian Botham, Durham CEO Tim Bostock and bowling coach Graham Onions.
• The controversy has reignited debate over balancing entertaining results with conditions that fairly assess players for Test selection.