West Indies coach Stuart Law has been suspended for his side’s upcoming two One-Day Internationals against India following a breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second Test in Hyderabad, for criticising the match officials.
Law received a 100 per cent fine and three demerit points. This means his accumulated demerit points reached four within a 24-month period leading to the two-match ban.
The incident on Sunday afternoon happened when Stuart Law, following the dismissal of Kieran Powell, went to the TV umpire’s room and made inappropriate comments. He then walked to the fourth umpire’s area and, in the presence of the players, again directed inappropriate comments at the fourth official. Powell was given out caught at first slip by Ajinkya Rahane off R Ashwin — the third umpire needed multiple replays before adjudging it as out.
According to a ICC release, during Sunday’s play in the Hyderabad Test, Law was found guilty of breaching Level 2 Article 2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an International Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match Official or team participating in any International Match, irrespective of when such criticism or inappropriate comment is made”.
As Law had received a 25 per cent fine and one demerit point during the final day’s play in the Dominica Test against Pakistan in May 2017, with the addition of these three demerit points, he has reached the threshold of four demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have now been converted into two suspension points.
Therefore, Law has been suspended from the 21 and 24 October ODIs against India in Guwahati and Visakhapatnam, respectively.
On Monday, Law admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.
The charges were leveled by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Ian Gould, third umpire Nigel Llong, all from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, and fourth official Nitin Menon.
(With ICC inputs)