Matthew Wade suspended after string of code of conduct breaches

Tasmania's wicketkeeper batter Matthew Wade has been suspended following a string of code of conduct breaches. Wade's latest offence occurred during the Marsh Cup match with Victoria. Now he will have to face an automatic two-game ban for the offence.

During Monday's match at the Junction Oval in Melbourne, Wade's frustration reached its peak point when he forcefully slammed his bat onto the pitch after facing a dot ball. This different act, in direct violation of Article 2.5 of the Cricket Australia code, constitutes abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during a match. Wade did not contest the charge and was found guilty.

This was Wade's third level-one breach in last 18 months. While these offences are relatively minor, Cricket Australia's regulations dictate that three such breaches in such timeframe result in an automatic two-game suspension.

Consequently, Wade will be sidelined for Tasmania's next two Marsh Cup games, slated for September 27 against New South Wales in Melbourne and October 8 against South Australia in Adelaide. However, the suspension will not affect his participation in Tasmania's opening Sheffield Shield game against South Australia, scheduled for October 3.

Despite this setback, Wade remains a contender for Australia's T20I squad, gearing up for a five-match series against India, which follows the 2023 ODI World Cup. The suspension may serve as a wake-up call for the experienced cricketer, prompting him to control his emotions on the field to avoid further disruptions to his career.

Wade has not been able to find a place in the ODI World Cup 2023 squad and other wicketkeeper batters like Josh Inglis and Alex Carey have been preferred over him. Australia's World Cup journey will start on October 8 against the Indian team in Chennai. Meanwhile, the marquee ODI event is all set to kick off in Ahmedabad with a match between the 2019 finalists, England and New Zealand.