Ravindra Jadeja has been found guilty of a Level 1 violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and was fined 50 per cent of his match fee following a hearing chaired by match referee David Boon on Thursday.
Following India’s Level 3 violation charge levelled against James Anderson for allegedly pushing the Indian all-rounder during the first Test at Trent Bridge, England laid a counter-charge for a Level 2 breach against Jadeja.
The ICC had subsequently appointed Boon to adjudicate Jadeja’s case. Thursday’s hearing lasted 150 minutes, during which Boon cross examined the two players.
The hearing was attended by both the players, their legal counsels, witnesses as well as BCCI’s M.V. Sridhar, Phil Neale and Paul Downton of the ECB, and the ICC’s Ethics & Regulatory Lawyer.
After listening to the players’ statements, cross examination of witnesses by ECB counsel Kendrah Potts and Jadeja’s counsel Jonathan Ellis and watching video footage, Boon found him not guilty of the original charge but “guilty under Article 2.1.8, that relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of the game,” according to an ICC press release.
The BCCI expressed its reservations against the judgement. “The BCCI wishes to make it clear that it is not satisfied with the verdict. The BCCI reserves its right to appeal against the sentence. The BCCI believes that Ravindra Jadeja was not at fault, and supports him fully,” the release declared.
The ICC release specified that “a decision in respect of a first Level 1 offence is non-appealable and shall remain the full and final decision in relation to the matter.”
Second offence, but… Though this is a second offence by Jadeja under the Level 1 ambit, the code under which he was earlier found guilty was 2.1.4 while the latest is under the 2.1.8 clause, and hence there is ambiguity on whether the BCCI is eligible to appeal.
The first Level 1 violation pertained to Jadeja’s abusive language against Australia’s Shane Watson in a One-Day International.
Meanwhile, ‘the Anderson case’ will be heard by judicial commissioner, Gordon Lewis, on August 1.
