South African Coach and Player Censured for Breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Dubai, November 2 (Daily Kiran) : South African batting coach Ashwell Prince and player Kyle Verreynne faced reprimands from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the code of conduct during the third Test against Australia in Cape Town. The incident occurred on the third day of the match, following the dismissal of opener Marques Ackerman.

Ackerman attempted to review his ‘caught out’ decision, but the umpires ruled that the appeal was not made within the required 15 seconds. As Ackerman walked towards the boundary, Prince repeatedly insisted to the umpires that there was still time to appeal. Meanwhile, Verreynne, who was not part of the playing eleven, urged Ackerman to remain inside the boundary, causing a delay in his exit from the field.

The ICC stated that both Prince and Verreynne violated Article 2.8 of the ICC’s code for players and support staff, which pertains to dissent against an umpire’s decision during international matches. As a result, each received a demerit point added to their disciplinary record, marking their first offense within a 24-month period.

Both individuals accepted their wrongdoing and agreed to the penalties set by match referee Javagal Srinath, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. The on-field umpires, Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough, along with third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Lubabalo Gcuma, brought the charges against them.

For a Level 1 breach, the penalties can range from an official reprimand to a fine of up to 50% of a player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points. In a remarkable comeback, South Africa secured a 2-1 series victory over Australia, elevating them to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings and pushing Australia to third place in the ICC World Test Championship standings for 2025/27.