Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has been summoned for a disciplinary hearing after being reported for dissent on Wednesday following the rejection of an appeal during the second Test match against South Africa.
Match referee Jeff Crowe has asked Ganguly to appear for a hearing after being reported by the umpires – Daryl Harper of Australia and Simon Taufel of New Zealand — for displaying dissent after an Indian appeal for a catch was turned down.
”The matter has been reported to me by the umpires. I have summoned Ganguly for a hearing,” Crowe said.
Crowe was scheduled to conduct the hearing later Wednesday, with the two umpires also expected to attend.
Expression of dissent against an umpiring decision amounts to a violation of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct.
Ganguly had led the appealing fielders’ chorus when a sharp turner from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh deflected from the bat of South African batsman Jacques Kallis into the hands of Gautam Gambhir at forward short-leg.
Television replays indicated that umpire Harper had erred in rejecting the appeal.
Kallis, who was then on two, remained unbeaten on 52 as South Africa finished the fourth day’s play on 172 for five after trailing by 106 runs in the first innings.
Ganguly was among the fielders who made no attempt to hide the disappointment when the appeal was rejected.
India’s coach John Wright said the players’ passions might have flared up.
”The players’ emotions do tend to flare up when things don’t go your way,” Wright said.
Ganguly was cleared to play in the current test after the ICC’s appeal commissioner, Tim Castle of New Zealand, struck down a two-match ban on Ganguly.
Ganguly was suspended by match referee Clive Lloyd for his team’s slow bowling overrate during a limited-over international against Pakistan at Calcutta’s Eden Gardens on November 14.
The Indian captain blamed frequent holdups caused by injuries to players and the ball getting wet from dew for the slow over rate.
Ganguly’s petition against the ban was upheld by appeal commissioner Castle, who overturned the match referee’s verdict. – Sapa-AP