ICC finds Anderson and Jadeja not guilty

England’s James Anderson and India’s Ravindra Jadeja have been found not guilty of misbehaviour during the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, cricket’s governing body announced on Friday.

Jadeja’s previously imposed fine, of 50 per cent of his match fee, was rescinded.

India charged Anderson and England counter-charged all-rounder Jadeja under the ICC code of conduct regarding an incident during the lunch break on the second day of the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge on July 10.

Bowler Anderson and batsman Jadeja were seen exchanging words as the players left the field.

It was alleged there was a more serious disagreement when the players reached the privacy of the pavilion.

At a hearing on Friday, presided over by retired Australian judge Gordon Lewis, Jadeja appealed against a Level One fine imposed by match referee David Boon, the former Australia batsman.

The more serious Level Three charges brought by India against Anderson, for allegedly “abusing and pushing” Jadeja, were heard for the first time.

“His Honour Gordon Lewis, the judicial commissioner, has found both England’s James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja of India not guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct,” an ICC statement said.

England will be hugely relieved that fast-medium bowler Anderson, their series-leading wicket-taker, and named man-of-the-match for his seven for 77 in the team’s first Test match win for nearly a year, has been cleared to play in the final two Tests.

Lewis’s decision means the 32-year-old Anderson could yet become England’s leading all-time Test wicket-taker before the end of the season.

He currently has 371, 12 wickets shy of Ian Botham’s England record of 383.

The five-match series is level at 1-1 after England won the third Test at Southampton by 266 runs on Thursday.

The fourth Test at Old Trafford, Anderson’s home ground, starts on Thursday, August 7.

Friday’s ICC statement added: “The judicial commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via video conference.”

“Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsels.

“The hearings were also attended by the two team managers, the ECB’s Paul Downton, the BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India’s) Sundar Raman and MV Sridhar, the ICC’s general manager-cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC’s ethics and regulatory lawyer, Sally Clark.”

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