Mohammed Siraj Receives 20% Fine for Heated Send-off to Travis Head in Adelaide
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New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) Indian fast-bowler Mohammed Siraj has been fined 20 percent of his match fee for delivering an aggressive send-off to Australia batter Travis Head during the second Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Adelaide Oval.
On the fourth ball of the 82nd over on Day Two in the pink-ball Test, Siraj dismissed Head with a stunning in-swinging yorker, followed by a fiery send-off where he gestured aggressively for the batter to head back to the dressing room. A brief exchange of words ensued, but the two players reconciled on the field when Siraj came out to bat during India’s second innings, after which Australia secured victory by ten wickets.
Throughout the match, the Adelaide crowd voiced their displeasure by booing Siraj whenever he fielded in the deep or bowled, disapproving of his conduct towards Head, who was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding score of 140.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Monday that Siraj faced penalties for violating article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which pertains to “using language, actions, or gestures that are disparaging or could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal.”
Additionally, Head was sanctioned for infringing Article 2.13 of the ICC Code, which involves “abuse of a player, player support personnel, umpire, or match referee during an international match.”
Both players received one demerit point each on their disciplinary records, marking their first offence in the past 24 months. Siraj and Head acknowledged their respective violations and accepted the proposed sanctions from Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
The on-field umpires, Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, along with third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth umpire Phillip Gillespie, were responsible for levying the charges. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum fine of 50 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
As the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series stands at 1-1, India and Australia are set to clash in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, beginning on December 14.
