Yorkshire yesterday decided not to appeal against the eight points they have had deducted by the ECP Pitches Panel because of the 'poor' preparation of the Scarborough pitch for the current game against Championship leaders Surrey.

But after lengthy talks at the North Marine Road ground, cricket committee representative Geoff Cope emerged to say that chairman Keith Moss would be raising at a general committee meeting of the club the whole matter of the inconsistency of pitch liaison officers throughout the season with a view to making representations to the ECB at the end of the season.

In announcing that Yorkshire had been deducted eight points, ECB Cricket Operations Manager Alan Fordham, who formed part of the Pitches Panel, said that the reason for the decision was that due to the amount of grass left on the pitch from the start there had been undue seam movement and unevenness of bounce on the first day.

He also said that there were no extenuating circumstances and Cope conceded that it was partly because of this that it was felt there was little point in appealing.

Although Yorkshire are now effectively out of the title race the loss of eight points could seriously affect their chances of finishing second which brings with it a prize of £50,000.

If Yorkshire's game with Surrey finishes in a rain-hit draw today the Tykes will receive a total of seven points which is one less than they started the game with and it will leave them trailing second placed Lancashire by 11 points, each side having two games still to play.

If they lose to Surrey, however, they will get only three batting bonus points and the gap with Lancashire will be 15 points.

Yorkshire, bitterly disappointed and privately angry at the docking of eight points on what they still feel was a good pitch, decided on their plan of action at a behind-closed-doors meeting between club president Robin Smith, captain David Byas, director of coaching, Martyn Moxon, Cope, and Scarborough CC chief executive Cec Snell who, along with Cope, had been present during all of the Pitches Panel's interviews.

Spectators registered their impatience at Scarborough yesterday when the game against leaders Surrey did not resume until 3.30pm, despite sunshine and blue skies for much of the time.

The problem was that heavy rain the previous night had seeped under the sheeting covering the bowler's run-up at the pavilion end, leaving a soggy patch of grass which Yorkshire considered dangerous for their bowlers.

The problem would not have occurred with more extensive covering facilities and in future Yorkshire may have to ensure that these are brought on from Headingley to safeguard against similar embarrassment.

Surrey, pressing for a win, clearly wanted to play and Yorkshire didn't, and the fans became increasingly frustrated as each of the four inspections came and went.

In the end, the umpires agreed to get the game started but said they would call off play for the day if conditions proved to be dangerous. In the event nothing untoward happened and 11 overs were bowled up to tea when a thunderstorm had the final say.

Ironically, if Surrey had enforced the follow-on on Thursday instead of deciding to bat, the delays would have been very much less because their bowlers would not have objected half so much to the wet patches.

Surrey were 53 for two with an overall lead of 251 when they resumed and they soon lost Adam Hollioake who pulled Chris Silverwood straight to Vic Craven on the square leg boundary