South Africa's du Plessis loses full match fee for ball tampering

Adelaide, Nov 22 (IANS) South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis was on Tuesday fined 100 percent of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct during the second Test against Australia.

Besides that, du Plessis also received three demerit points to his disciplinary record following a hearing before Andy Pycroft of the elite panel of ICC Match Referees here, according to an ICC statement.

"Du Plessis was charged by ICC Chief Executive David Richardson after television footage appeared to show him applying an artificial substance to the ball during the fourth day's play in the second Test against Australia in Hobart," the statement read.

"After hearing representations from both parties and evidence from the umpires in the second Test as well as Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Head of Cricket John Stephenson, Pycroft found du Plessis guilty of the offence."

"The decision was based on the evidence given from the umpires, who confirmed that had they seen the incident they would have taken action immediately, and from Stephenson, who confirmed the view of MCC that the television footage showed an artificial substance being transferred to the ball," it further read.

The offence of breaching Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct was treated as a first offence by the Protea batsman, which allows him to play in the third Test here from Thursday.

According to the ICC guidelines, if du Plessis receives four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, those will be converted into suspension points resulting in a ban.

Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

--IANS

tri/dg