Windies fined for slow over-rate
Elmo Rodrigopulle from West Indies
The West Indians who chalked up a victory in the second Digicel Test
to draw the two-Test series have been fined for slow over-rate during
the Test.
Gayle, the captain was fined 70 per cent and the rest of the team
members 35 per cent of their match fees for the same offence after the
team was found to have been six overs short of the required over-rate.
With the Windies launching a pace blitz with four of their best
speedsters, the fine was no surprise when it came because the fastmen
take more time to complete an over. Gayle pleaded not guilty, but match
referee, the former England opener Chris Broad issued the verdict
following a hearing he conducted after the Test on Sunday.
The International Cricket Council in a press release stated: "During
the hearing, neither the captain, coach nor manager was able to persuade
me that the shortfall in overs was beyond their control or that the
allowances permitted to teams by the match officials were not
appropriate, Broad said.
"Teams and captains in particular - have a duty to bowl a minimum
number of overs in a day. Slow over-rates are not fair to the opposition
or the paying spectators and captains have a responsibility to ensure
their players adhere to the regulations in that regard.
"I saw very little evidence that the West Indies team after learning
of their slow over-rate predicament, actually tried to speed things up.
Therefore, they left me with little option but to enact this penalty,"
said Broad.
The standing umpires Simon Taufel and Billy Bowden brought the
charge, who were present at the hearing, along with Broad, third umpire
Goaland Greaves, fourth official Clyde Duncan, Gayle, West Indies coach
John Dyson and team manager Omar Khan. The Windies had breached level
2.11 of the ICC Code.
Sir Frank Worrell
honoured
West Indies cricketing legend Sir Frank Worrell was honoured during
the second Digicel Test at the Oval in a brief ceremony to mark the 60th
anniversary of his Test debut.
It was hosted by the Queen's Park Cricket Club and was held before
the start of the third day's play between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Another living legend, Sir Everton Weekes, who along with Worrell and
Sir Clyde Walcott formed the 'terrible Ws' of that era was in attendance
along with former opening batsman who played in that Test Andy Ganteaume
who made a century in the only Test he played. That Test was played from
February 11 to 16, 1948 at the historic ground.
"At any time you talk about Frank, it is always a beautiful memory.
He was a friend for so long... the throat gets a bit thick when you talk
about Frank and Clyde Walcott," said Sir Everon who has played in Sri
Lanka along with Worrell and Walcott.
It was indeed an unforgettable moment for me to see the great Everton
of whom I had read and heard about, during my youth. Worrell who died of
a terminal illness in the 51 Test matches he played, made 3,860 runs at
an average of 49.48 per innings with a top score of 261. He also took 69
wickets with best bowling figures of 7 for 70. |