England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct by applying an unauthorised drying agent on his bowling hand while standing on the boundary line during the ongoing opening Test of the Ashes series against Australia.
“Ali was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,” International Cricket Council (ICC) said in an official statement.
“In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Ali`s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period,” it read further.
He was deemed to have violated the umpires` pre-series instructions to the two sets of players about not applying anything on their hands without prior approval.
The veteran English all-rounder admitted to the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the ICC`s Elite Panel of Match Referees, thereby not necessitating a formal hearing.
Before deciding to sanction the player, the Match Referee was satisfied that Ali had used the spray only to dry his hands. The spray was not used as an artificial substance on the ball and consequently, it had not changed the condition of the ball, which would have been in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC playing conditions — Unfair Play — The Match Ball — changing its condition.
On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Marais Erasmus, third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Mike Burns levelled the charge.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand while a maximum penalty attracts 50 per cent of a player`s match fee and one or two demerit points.
(With ANI inputs)
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