Bangladesh pacer Khaled Ahmed fined 15 per cent of match fee for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

By IANS

DUBAI: Bangladesh pace bowler Khaled Ahmed has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee after he breached the ICC Code of Conduct during the second Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

On Monday, South African made a clean sweep of the two-Test series against Bangladesh, inflicting a crushing 332-run defeat on the visitors with left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj grabbing his second seven-wicket haul of the series at St George’s Park. Maharaj’s 7/40 was supported by off-spinner Simon Harmer taking 3/34.

Bangladesh’s resistance lasted just around an hour on day four as Maharaj and Harmer ran through the batting line-up, bowling out the visitors for just 80 in 23.3 overs.

Ahmed was found guilty of breaching Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “throwing a ball at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match.”

The Level 1 breach meant Ahmed will also have one demerit point added to his disciplinary record – it’s his first offence in a 24-month period.

“The incident occurred in the 95th over of South Africa’s first innings on the second day when Kyle Verreynne hit the ball back towards Ahmed,” the ICC statement read.

“The bowler then threw it towards Verreynne in an inappropriate and dangerous manner, hitting him on the right glove.”

On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Allahudien Paleker, third umpire Adrian Holdstock and fourth official Bongani Jele levelled the charges. Ahmed admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft.