Why Was Jayden Seales Fined 25% of His Match Fee?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Jayden Seales fined 25% of match fee.
- Received one demerit point.
- Incident occurred during second Test against India.
- Violation of ICC Code of Conduct.
- Seales disagreed with the interpretation of his actions.
New Delhi, Oct 12 (NationPress) Jayden Seales, the fast bowler from West Indies, has faced a penalty of 25 percent of his match fee and received a single demerit point for violating the ICC Code of Conduct during the opening day of the second Test match against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The incident took place during the 29th over of India’s first innings, which concluded at a declaration of 518/5. Seales, while fielding, threw the ball towards Yashasvi Jaiswal, the left-handed opener, hitting him on the pads, after which he promptly apologized.
“Seales was found to have violated Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This article pertains to 'throwing a ball (or any cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match.'
“Moreover, one demerit point has been added to Seales’ record, increasing his total to two within a 24-month period. This follows a previous demerit point received during a Test match against Bangladesh in December 2024,” stated the ICC in their announcement on Sunday.
Level 1 violations carry a minimum penalty of a formal reprimand, a maximum of 50 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. The ICC noted that despite Seales expressing concerns about the ruling and disagreeing with the match officials' interpretation, he accepted the sanction without contest.
“The on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Alex Wharf and fourth umpire K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan, were responsible for levying the charge. Seales contested the penalty suggested by Andy Pycroft from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, which led to a formal hearing,” the statement elaborated.
“Seales argued that he was attempting a run-out. However, the Match Referee, after reviewing the incident from multiple angles, determined that the throw was unnecessary and inappropriate, striking the batter on the pads while he was within the crease,” the ICC added.