Yorkshire have been docked eight points by the ECB pitches panel for producing a pitch for the match against Surrey at Scarborough which the panel describe as "having undue seam movement and uneven bounce on the first day."

Pitch liaison officer Alan Fordham, who formed the panel along with Mike Denness, said that there were no extenuating circumstances.

Yorkshire officials were today deciding whether to appeal against the decision and if they do they must make their objection known by tonight. The appeal would then most likely be heard at some stage over the next 24 hours.

If they lose to leaders Surrey at North Marine Road - which seems inevitable unless rain cuts deeply into play today and tomorrow - then they will only take three bowling bonus points from the game, with the result that the docking of eight points will leave them worse off than before the game started.

Victory for Surrey, who were unhappy with the look of the pitch before the game began, will bring them 19 points and put them 27 points ahead of second placed Lancashire with only two games remaining - a lead which as good as guarantees that they will retain their tag as Champions.

The decision to punish Yorkshire was not taken until late last night after Fordham and Denness had spoken to players and officials of both teams and then reported their findings to Lord's.

While the fate of the Scarborough pitch remained the main topic of conversation among the 4,000 fans yesterday, Surrey merely showed contempt for Yorkshire as they moved relentless towards the substantial win which will virtually guarantee that they remain county champions.

Yorkshire v Surrey

at Scarborough

Surrey 1st innings 356

Yorkshire First Innings

Widdup lbw b Tudor 0

Craven b B C Hollioake 2

McGrath c Batty b Tudor 0

Lehmann run out 66

Byas c Shahid b B C Hollioake 19

Fellows c Batty b Tudor 16

Hamilton b Mushtaq 23

Guy lbw b Tudor 0

Silverwood c & b B C Hollioake 3

Hoggard not out 10

Lambert c A J Hollioake b Mushtaq 1

Extras lb3 w2 nb13 18

Total (41.1 overs) 158

Fall: 1-0 2-0 3-4 4-73 5-112 6-123 7-125 8-130 9-156

Bowling: Tudor 17-1-75-4 B C Hollioake 19-1-67-3 G P Butcher 4-1-13-0 Mushtaq 1.1-1-0-2

Surrey Second Innings

Butcher not out 30

Ward c Guy b Silverwood 0

Shahid b Hamilton 13

Hollioake not out 5

Extras b1 lb2 w2 5

Total 2 wkts (26 overs) 53

Fall: 1-5 2-32

Bowling: Silverwood 7-2-9-1 Hoggard 10-1-20-0 Hamilton 5-1-11-1 Lambert 4-0-10-0

PPP healthcare County Championship

Division One (day1 of 4), Taunton: Somerset v Leicestershire; (day 2 of 4), Riverside (day 2 of 4): Durham 104-1 (Katich 50 no) v Hampshire.

Division Two (day 3 of 4), Southend: Essex 292 (Irani 95, Law 70) v Glamorgan 360-6 (Powell 128, Maynard 102); Northampton: Northamptonshire 469 (Penberthy 116) v Gloucestershire 65-3; Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 351 (Bicknell 144, Reiffel 74, Lewry 6-89) v Sussex 235-6 (Montgomerie 116 no); Edgbaston: Worcestershire 263 (Solanki 71, Donald 4-69) v Warwickshire 224-1 (Wagh 118 no, Powell 69).