Australia captain Aaron Finch found himself in the middle of a stump microphone controversy days before the start of the T20 World Cup as he was reprimanded by the ICC for use of “audible obscenity”.
The incident occurred in the ninth over of England innings in Australia’s three-match T20I series opener here on Sunday, when the 35-year-old lost his cool, swearing in at on-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch following a caught-behind appeal.
England went on to win the match by eight runs.
“It would have been f****** nice to know in time,” Finch was picked up saying by the stump microphone after the on-field umpires did not give him an answer whether a Jos Buttler edge had carried to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.
Finch was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.” The Aussie skipper, however, escaped a fine because it was his first offence in a 24-month period, but the ICC has added “one demerit point to Finch’s disciplinary record.” The two on-field umpires along with third umpire Phil Gillespie and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge, an ICC statement read.
Finch admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
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.