Ambimama - India

NOTTINGHAM: Indian paceman S Sreesanth has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for breaching an ICC Code of Conduct by deliberately barging past England captain Michael Vaughan on the fourth day of their second cricket Test at Trent Bridge.

Sreesanth, charged after shouldering Vaughan during the first session on Monday, pleaded guilty to a level 2 offence in a hearing convened by match referee Ranjan Madugalle after stumps were drawn.

The bowler accepted he breached clause 2.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play.”

India manager Chandu Borde and captain Rahul Dravid also attended the hearing where video evidence was used to establish the charges. Madugalle said: “Cricket is a non-contact sport and any deviation from that fact is completely unacceptable, a point I made to Sreesanth in handing down my verdict.

“I have no problem with players being combative on the field but there is a line they cannot cross and Sreesanth crossed that line when he barged past Michael Vaughan, a collision he had every opportunity to avoid.

“I am pleased that Sreesanth accepted he was in the wrong by pleading guilty and that he apologised for his actions and I hope he learns from his mistake here.”

The charges were brought by on-field umpires Simon Taufel and Ian Howell, third umpire Nigel Llong and fourth official Neil Mallender and all four umpires attended the hearing.
Courtesy - PTI