Sreesanth fined 30 per cent of match fee

DUBIA: India seam bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of two ICC code of conduct breaches during the first Test match against South Africa.    

The young Indian fast bowler was reported to the ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama by the on-field umpires Darryl Harper and Mark Benson for the unceremonious send-off to Hashim Amla on Sunday, as well for sporting arm bands (skins) which carried the logo of the manufacturer. 

Apart from the send-off, there was also the bat twirling that Sreesanth has now made a signature gesture. That, however, just brands him a character and not a violator of any ICC rules.

“Obviously he is a character, but he needs to be a bit careful. We wouldn’t want him to miss a game. I would rather have him do what he did with the bat — hit a six — than what he did later. I enjoyed his six,” said his skipper Rahul Dravid with a laugh. “A player like him, a character like him needs to be celebrated and enjoyed.”

Even the rival captain Graeme Smith showed amusement at Sreesanth’s bat-twirling antics. “It was a funny moment, I don’t think I have ever seen it on a cricket field, though. We all love characters in the game and I always encouraged them. They bring people into the stadiums and make the game exciting to watch. But I think it’s all got to be within reasons. Maybe he did push the buttons a little bit there.”

With inputs from Agencies