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SYDNEY, Monday (AFP) Test legspinner Stuart MacGill will miss New South Wales' most important Sheffield Shield game of the season after being suspended Monday for causing "harm to the image of cricket." His use of offensive language after NSW's one-day Cup win over Tasmania Sunday prompted the charges under sections of the Australian Cricket Board Code of Behaviour.

He was found guilty at a hearing of violating section 1.6, which says: "Players and Officials must not use crude or abusive behaviour or make crude or abusive gestures."

Commissioner Alan Sullivan QC decided not to proceed on the second, more general offence.

MacGill will not play in NSW's Sheffield Shield game against Victoria, starting in Melbourne Wednesday or the Cup one-dayer against Victoria February 9.

A statement released by Cricket NSW Monday said Sullivan found MacGill in "very serious breach of the Code of Behaviour, causing considerable harm to the image of cricket, which strikes at the heart of the fabric of the game."

"Considering MacGill's prior record - including two recent breaches of the code - Sullivan deemed a maximum fine of 5,000 dollars (2,750 USD) was not a sufficient deterrent," the statement said.

The charges were understood to relate to an incident during the Tasmanian innings when MacGill argued with an umpire after apparantly having an appeal rejected.

The Test leg spinner's suspension could strike a big blow to NSW's hopes of qualifying for this year's Sheffield Shield final.

The Blues are only four points behind second place Victoria, with three games remaining.

MacGill has been the Blues' leading wicket-taker this summer, including a nine-wicket haul in their most recent win over Western Australia.

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