Australia captain Ricky Ponting was expected to receive confirmation
overnight that he’d face a disciplinary hearing following an incident in
which a TV was damaged in the team dressing room.
The
International Cricket Council is set to announce a hearing after the
Indian board and the Gujarat Cricket Association emailed a letter of
complaint to the sport’s world governing body.
Ponting could face a possible fine of part of his match fee.
ICC
spokesman James Fitzgerald confirmed to AAP that an email had been
received detailing the complaint against Ponting and the ICC was
preparing to release a statement formally announcing a Code of Conduct
hearing.
Fitzgerald later told AFP: “The Australians are
travelling today (Wednesday) and we don’t want to say anything about the
details of the charge until we’ve been in contact with them.”
Ponting
was furious after being run out for 28 during Monday night’s World Cup
clash with Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad. Australia struggled early before
eventually posting a total of 6-262 against the African minnows, who
were bowled out for 171.
But the team says the skipper’s actions
in the dressing room immediately afterwards have been overblown in
Indian media reports which claimed he smashed an expensive tv with a
bat.
“Ricky threw his box (groin protector) into his bag and it flew up into a TV set,” spokesman Lachy Patterson said.
“It wasn’t smashed. There was a small blackout on one corner of the screen. It was still working when (it was) replaced.”
Indian TV reports described Ponting as “cricket’s Bad Boy” and “petulant”.
One of Australian cricket’s leading critics over the years, South African great Barry Richards, also weighed in.
“The dressing room is supposed to be sacrosanct so I am a little bit disappointed,” Richards said.
“That
sort of behaviour … you don’t want to hear about during a World Cup.
You want to hear about Ricky Ponting making a hundred, not messing up in
the dressing room.
“But one thing is obvious – that there is a lot of pressure on him to try and win the World Cup.”
