Vusumuzi Dube
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN fast bowler, Blessing Muzarabani together with Taskin Ahmed of Bangladesh have been fined 15 percent of their match fees for breaching Level 1 of the International Cricket Council Code of Conduct during the second day of the one-off Test that is currently going on at Harare Sports Club.
According to statement from the ICC, the two players were found to have breached Article 2.1.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”
In addition to this, one demerit point each has been added to the disciplinary records of the players, both of whom did not have any previous offence in a 24-month period.
The incident occurred in the 85th over of Bangladesh’s first innings on Thursday. After Muzarabani had bowled a delivery to Taskin, the two players moved aggressively towards each other, with contact made after words were exchanged face to face.
“Both players admitted the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and ratified by the ICC Cricket Operations department as per the Covid-19 interim playing regulations. There was no need for formal hearings,’’ said the ICC.
On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Langton Rusere, third umpire Iknow Chabi and fourth official Forster Mutizwa levelled the charges.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
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