New Delhi: A livid BCCI today made it clear that it was not satisfied with the verdict of imposing a fine on Ravindra Jadeja for his on-field spat with England pacer James Anderson and said it reserved its right to appeal against the sentence.
The BCCI said it is fully behind Jadeja after the all-rounder was docked 50 per cent of his match fee by match referee David Boon after finding him guilty to ‘conduct contrary to the spirit of the game' for the on-field spat with Anderson during first cricket Test at Nottingham.
“The BCCI has taken note of the ICC Match Referee's decision to find Ravindra Jadeja guilty of a Level 1 ‘Breach of Conduct' for his involvement in an incident on the second day of the Nottingham Test of the ongoing series between India and England,” the BCCI said in a statement.
“The BCCI wishes to make it clear that it is not satisfied with the verdict. The BCCI reserves its right to appeal against the sentence.
“The BCCI believes that Mr Ravindra Jadeja was not at fault, and supports him fully,” it added.
Jadeja has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee after Boon found the player not guilty of the original level 2 offence charged by the England team management.
The incident occurred during the lunch break of the second day's play at Nottingham during which, Indians claim that Anderson had allegedly “abused” and “pushed” Jadeja as the players were making their way into the dressing rooms.
The England team management, which had initially described it as a “minor” incident, later filed a countercharge against Jadeja.
Boon held a hearing in Southampton yesterday evening, which was attended by both the players, their legal counsels, witnesses as well as BCCI's MV Sridhar, Phil Neale and Paul Downton of the ECB, and the ICC's Ethics & Regulatory Lawyer.
In the meeting that lasted for over two hours, former Australia batsman Boon said that the charges on Jadeja only found him guilty to ‘conduct contrary to the spirit of the game'.
