England’s Reece Topley fined for Code of Conduct breach in T20I against WI

Dubai: England fast bowler Reece Topley has been fined 15% of his match fee after breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first T20I against the West Indies in Barbados. The sanction comes after Topley was found to have breached Article 2.2, which pertains to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during an international match.” The incident took place while England was fielding, with Topley visibly frustrated as he walked up the pavilion staircase, grabbing a chair and striking it aggressively against the handrail. In addition to the financial penalty, Topley has received one demerit point, his first in a 24-month period. Topley accepted the charges levelled by match officials, including on-field umpires Leslie Reifer and Zahid Bassarath, third umpire Gregory Brathwaite, and fourth umpire Deighton Butler. Richie Richardson, of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees, proposed the sanction, and Topley’s acceptance of the decision made a formal hearing unnecessary. Under the ICC’s code, Level 1 infractions like Topley’s carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of a 50% match fee deduction, in addition to one or two demerit points. –IANS