HINDS
KINGSTON, CMC:
WEST INDIES batsman Wavell Hinds has been fined 100 per cent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct on the final day of the fourth and final Digicel Test against South Africa in Antigua on Tuesday.
The 28-year old left-hander was involved in an on-the-field altercation with South African captain Graeme Smith late on the final day of the drawn Test and has been subsequently found guilty of 'conduct contrary to the spirit of the game'.
Jeff Crowe, the ICC's match referee, reached the verdict after a hearing attended by Hinds, West Indies team manager Tony Howard, and match umpires Billy Bowden, Simon Taufel and Basil Morgan.
"It is a breach of consequence that undermines the games values and is unacceptable in any given situation. The player has apologised for his actions," an ICC media release quoted Crowe as saying yesterday.
ANGERED BY COMMENTS
The incident between Hinds and Smith reportedly arose after Hinds became angered by comments Smith made to Dwayne Bravo while the Trinidadian batted earlier that day.
Hinds frustration reached boiling point when he apparently sent down one delivery with a bent arm and in the process, went nearly a yard over the front crease while bowling to Smith during the South African second innings.
A Level 3 charge was originally brought by umpires Bowden, Taufel and Morgan but Hinds was eventually adjudged to have breached the Level 2 code.
All Level 2 breaches carry a minimum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee and a maximum penalty of their full match fee and/or a one Test match or two one-day international match bans.
For Level 1 and Level 2 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct the ICC match referee's decision is final and binding.
