By IANS
Dubai : New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram was fined 20 percent of his match fee Saturday, after being found guilty of dissent during the ongoing second Test against England in Wellington.
ICC match referee Javagal Srinath handed down the penalty after a hearing at the end of third day’s play Saturday.
Oram was charged under clause 2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which refers to “showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision”.
Oram, after being dismissed leg before off the bowling of pacer Ryan Sidebottom, openly showed dissent at the umpire’s decision looking at the bat first and then punching it.
He later apologised to the umpires following which match referee Srinath agreed to reduce the level of the charge from serious dissent to dissent.
“I took into account several factors in downgrading the charge including the player’s previously excellent conduct, his apology at the hearing, the fact it was a spontaneous act out of character with his normal behaviour and he did not appear to use foul or offensive language,” Srinath said in a statement released by the ICC after the hearing.
“However, the fact remains that when the umpire raises his finger a player must leave the crease immediately and without question no matter what he may think of the decision.”
Apart from the match referee, the three umpires, the player concerned and New Zealand team manager Lindsay Crocker attended the hearing.