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Journalism of Courage
Indian batsman Suresh Raina was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for a Level I breach in ICC’s Code of Conduct on the first day of the second cricket Test against West Indies in Kensington Oval on Tuesday.
According to a release issued by the ICC,the batsman was found to have breached Article 2.1.3 of the code which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.
After first day’s play concluded,the left-handed batsman pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by match referee Chris Broad. The charge was brought by on-field umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden as well as third umpire Gregory Brathwaite and fourth official Norman Malcolm.
The incident happened in the 56th over when Raina batting on 53 was given caught by forward short-leg fielder Adrian Barath off Devendra Bishoo’s bowling. It was a late decision given by umpire Rauf and Raina was visibly unhappy with the decision.
The release states,”The batsman shook his head to indicate that he did not hit the ball which seemed to be an attempt to influence the umpire’s decision. On being given out,he looked to the sky in disgust and then after picking his bat up from the ground swung it at the dirt as well as shaking his head again.”
According to match referee Broad,it was a clear breach of code.
What Suresh did was a clear breach of the code,something the player himself has accepted. There is a fine line between showing disappointment at a dismissal and demonstrating dissent but on this occasion Suresh was well over that line and his behaviour was unacceptable, Broad was quoted as saying by the release.
