Scott Edwards, Sufyan Mehmood & Gerald Coetzee found guilty of breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Netherlands captain, Scott Edwards, Oman bowler, Sufyan Mehmood and South Africa bowler, Gerald Coetzee have been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in their matches over the weekend.

Edwards was found to have breached two articles of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Article 2.8 relates to “showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match” and also article 2.2 relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”

Both breaches followed his dismissal during the third T20I between Oman and the Netherlands. The first incident occurred when Edwards showed his bat to the umpire when given out LBW. The second incident was when he threw his bat and gloves onto the field when returning towards his team’s dressing room. The cumulative sanctions see that the captain has been fined 10% of his match fee and received two demerit points – one point for each offence – which have been added to his disciplinary record.

In the same match, Mehmood was fined 10% of his match fee and had one demerit point added to his disciplinary record after being found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

The incident took place when the bowler (Mehmood) dismissed the batter, Teja Nidamanuru, giving him a send-off by pointing him back towards his team’s dressing room.

Both Edwards and Mehmood admitted their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Neeyamur Rashid Rahul of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Harikrishna Pillai, Rahul Asher and third umpire Vinod Babu levelled the charges.

In the fourth T20I between South Africa and India, Gerald Coetzee was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match."

The incident occurred when Coetzee made an inappropriate comment to the umpire after a ‘wide’ was called following one of his deliveries.

Coetzee received a reprimand and had one demerit point added to his disciplinary record. He admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, therefore no formal hearing was needed.

On-field umpires Allahudien Paleker and Stephen Harris, third umpire Lubabalo Gcuma and fourth umpire Arno Jacobs levelled the charge. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

*When a player reaches four or more demerit points within 24 months, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned

**Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player

***Demerit Points to remain on a Player or Player Support Personnel’s disciplinary record for twenty-four (24) months from their imposition following which they will be expunged.