England pacer Stuart Broad has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third match of England’s ICC World Test Championship series against New Zealand in the Headingley, which the hosts won by seven wickets.
The 36-year-old Broad was charged with a breach of Article 2.9, which relates to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner.
“Broad was found to have breached Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match,” the ICC said in a statement.
“In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Broad’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the second offence in a 24-month period, taking his cumulative demerit points to two,” it added.
The incident occurred in the 89th over of New Zealand’s second innings on Sunday, when Broad, after fielding the ball on his follow through, threw it in the direction of Daryl Mitchell, when the batter was within the popping crease and not intending to take a run.
Broad admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon, the ICC match referee at Headingley, so there was no need for a formal hearing.On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Aleem Dar and fourth umpire David Millns levelled the charge.
Notably, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.