Stuart Broad fined for aggressive behaviour towards umpire

England pacer Stuart Broad has been fined 30 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during Day four of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The Three lion’s player was found to have breached Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. The Article relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”.

The incident took place in the 195th over of South Africa’s innings. Broad showed dissent to umpire Aleem Dar. An angry Broad twice told the Pakistani umpire to ‘just get on with the game’. Interestingly, after the on-field umpires had warned England captain Alastair Cook about the fast bowler for damaging the pitch by kicking it in frustration.

However, it was an excellent day for South Africa which saw Hashim Amla scoring a superb double ton, while Temba Bavuma went on to score his maiden Test century. The hosts eventually declared at 627 for 7 with one day left in the match.

The charge was leveled by the on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Bruce Oxenford. Then third umpire Rod Tucker as well as the fourth umpire Shaun George also agreed to the charge. For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee.

Broad pleaded not being guilty to the charge. Though Ranjan Madugalle of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees conducted a formal hearing after the day’s play and subsequently found him guilty as charged.

This is not the first time Broad was charged for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct earlier in Broad was charged with a level two offence under the ICC’s code of conduct for throwing the ball at a player in an “inappropriate manner”. Broad threw the ball at Haider at Edgbsston on in 2010 against Pakistan.Broad’s frustration was clearly growing before the incident. In his previous over Broad thought he had dismissed Haider caught behind and referred the decision when the on-field umpire gave him not out. Hot spot showed no evidence that the ball had hit either Haider’s bat or glove, and in the next over the Pakistani struck the Englishman for four. Three balls later Broad took the action which landed him in trouble.