Du Plessis fined 50 per cent of his match fee

Du Plessis was found to have breached Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”.

This is the second time within a 12-month period that du Plessis has been found guilty of the same Level 1 breach. In October 2015, du Plessis was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for violating Article 2.1.5 during the fourth One-Day International against India in Chennai

If du Plessis is found guilty of a further breach of Article 2.1.5 within 12 months from the first offence last October, it will amount to his third offence and, as such, he will be suspended.

The incident happened in South Africa’s 13th over when du Plessis, after being given out LBW, showed dissent at the decision by occupying the crease for a period of time before leaving the field while looking at his bat and shaking his head.

After the match, du Plessis admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires S Ravi and Rod Tucker, third umpire Paul Reiffel and fourth official Chris Gaffaney, all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires.

Penalties for a second Level 1 offence within a 12-month period included in the ICC Code of Conduct can range from an imposition of a fine from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of a player’s match fee and/or up to two Suspension Points.