South African batsman Faf du Plessis will not appeal a 50 per cent match fee fine, imposed over a ball-tampering incident during the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai.
South Africa had already been penalised five runs and umpires ordered a change of ball on Friday, and Australian match referee David Boon swiftly summoned du Plessis.
“Du Plessis is fined 50 per cent of his match fee after breaching (the) ICC code of conduct on Friday,” the International Cricket Council said on Saturday.
The 29-year-old is the first South African to be charged with ball tampering.
The incident took place in the 31st over of Pakistan’s second innings on Friday afternoon when du Plessis – South Africa’s Twenty20 captain – was seen on television rubbing the ball near the zipper of his trouser pocket, the ICC said.
On field umpires Ian Gould and Rod Tucker called up South African captain Graeme Smith, changed the ball and awarded Pakistan five penalty runs.
Former Australian Test batsman Boon said: “After discussions with du Plessis, he has elected not to contest that charge, but I am also satisfied that this was not part of a deliberate and/or prolonged attempt to unfairly manipulate the condition of the ball, and that the imposition of a fine of 50 per cent of his match fee is appropriate considering the circumstances”.
The ICC statement said: “The TV umpire Paul Reiffel brought this to the notice of the on-field umpires who, in accordance with clause 42.1.1 of the ICC Test match playing conditions, which deals with the match ball – changing its condition – replaced the ball, awarded five penalty runs to Pakistan and reported du Plessis”.
Pakistan’s Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Azhar Mahmood and Shahid Afridi, India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and England’s Michael Atherton have been punished over ball tampering in the past.
Previously, Pakistan were the only team docked five penalty runs for tampering during the 2006 Oval Test against England.
Only this month, the ICC amended its laws over the condition of balls, saying “if a player responsible can be identified”, the ball will be changed, a five-run penalty will be awarded and the player responsible will be reported”.
Vice-captain AB de Villiers had defended his teammate on Saturday and said his team did not cheat.
“Honestly, we’re not the team that scratches the ball. We don’t cheat – it’s as simple as that. I know Faffy very well; he’s the last man to try anything like that.”
In another development, Pakistan offspinner Saeed Ajmal on Saturday was handed an official reprimand after pleading guilty to using abusive language and gestures during the South African Test.
Ajmal, 36, was found to have breached an article of the code of conduct which relates to “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an international match”.
