West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has been fined for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the opening Test against Australia at Kensington Oval, becoming the second team member to be sanctioned in the match.
The Test, which Australia won by 159 runs, was marred by controversy surrounding several decisions made by third umpire Adrian Holdstock. The West Indies camp was visibly frustrated, with Sammy openly questioning the officiating and suggesting that Holdstock might have “something against the team.”
Following the remarks, the ICC charged Sammy with a Level 1 offence under Article 2.7 of the Code of Conduct, which covers “public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an International Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match Official or team”. The comments were made on the second day of the match.
Sammy was fined 15 percent of his match fee and received one demerit point, his first in two years. He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by Javagal Srinath of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, thereby avoiding the need for a formal hearing. The charge was brought forward by on-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Nitin Menon, third umpire Adrian Holdstock, and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite.
Under ICC regulations, Level 1 offences typically result in a reprimand, fines of up to 50 percent of the match fee, and one or two demerit points.
Sammy is the second West Indies team member to be penalised in the Barbados Test. Fast bowler Jayden Seales was earlier fined 15 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for a separate Level 1 offence. Seales was found to have breached Article 2.5, relating to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal”.
The match was the first of a three-Test series between the West Indies and Australia, and tensions are already running high ahead of the second encounter.