IPL 2018: Tim Southee reprimanded for breaching Code of Conduct

New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has been reprimanded for breaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct while representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 17. Southee's post-match comments after the end of the game resulted in him being punished by match referee Prakash Bhatt.

He was charged with a Level 1 offence that comes under Article 2.1.8 of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials (Conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game). According to a media release by the BCCI, he accepted the charges after the end of the game.

Under IPL rules, Article 2.1.8 corresponds to: "Abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a Match".

The incident in question was the controversial catch that was turned down by the third umpire during the third over of the Sunrisers innings.

In the post-match conference, Southee admitted that he believed he had taken the catch cleanly, "it looks a lot worse on TV but it’s the third umpire’s decision and in the end, we won the game which was more important”.

The fifth delivery of the third over saw Alex Hales, then on 19 off 8, effect a pull shot that seemed to have been cleanly pouched by a diving Southee at square leg. While the soft signal was given out, replays suggested proved to be inconclusive, and despite the fact that Southee seemed to have had his finger beneath the ball, the final decision was made in favour of the batsman.

While captain Virat Kohli was seen confronting the on-field umpires in an animated discussion, Southee looked shell-shocked by the decision. Hales eventually finished on 37 off 24, getting another reprieve courtesy of a dropped catch from Kohli along the way.

The Bangalore side eventually managed to win the game, despite a few more close-calls and dropped catches, and are now fifth on the points table, level with the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals on points, but ahead of the latter owing to a superior net run-rate.