Dubai: South Africa’s Faf du Plessis on Saturday admitted tampering with the match ball during the third day of South Africa’s win over Pakistan in the second Test here.
The all-rounder pleaded guilty and was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct during Friday’s play in the second and final Test.
The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and Rod Tucker, third umpire Paul Reiffel and fourth umpire Shozab Raza after the end of the third day’s play. The umpires had already awarded five penalty runs to Pakistan.
David Boon, of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, handed the fine to Du Plessis but said it was not part of a deliberate and/or prolonged attempt to unfairly manipulate the condition of the ball.
Du Plessis was seen on television rubbing the ball in the vicinity of the zipper of his trouser pocket in the 31st over of Pakistan’s second innings. South Africa vice-captain AB de Villiers had, during Friday’s press conference, vehemently denied that his players had tampered with the ball, saying: “We are not a team that scratches the ball.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s star off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has received an official reprimand after pleading guilty to a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, also during the third day’s play. This code of conduct breach relates to using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an international match.
The incident happened when Ajmal, after dismissing South Africa batsman Morne Morkel, turned to the umpire and repeatedly appealed even though the batsman had been caught at first slip by Younis Khan. Ajmal’s appeal for a caught behind off the previous delivery had been turned down, so the bowler’s actions after taking the wicket were considered insulting towards the umpire, which contravenes the ICC Code of Conduct.
